BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR ETHANOL COULD GENERATE UP TO R$1.8 BILLION EXTRA PER HARVEST, LBDS ESTIMATES

Recent data shows that biotechnology has significantly boosted ethanol production profits in Brazil. According to Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS), genetic engineering has increased profit margins in corn-based ethanol from R$4 per ton in 2012 to R$56 per ton in 2024, a 1,300% rise. Advances in yeast technology could add 340–680 million liters of ethanol per harvest, generating R$900 million–R$1.8 billion in extra revenue. New yeasts enhance ethanol and oil yields, reduce enzyme and urea costs by 80%, shorten fermentation from 60 to 45 hours, and convert previously unfermentable carbohydrates. Additionally, biotechnology cuts glycerol by 35% and biomass by 20%, boosting ethanol output by 1.5% without extra feedstock or infrastructure. LBDS emphasizes that these innovations optimize existing resources, increase margins, and reduce environmental impacts, strengthening the sector’s role in Brazil’s bioeconomy and energy transition.
Source: Nova Cana