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Recently the Institute of Technological Research even published a manual for building “mini-distilleries.” Such a plant could fuel a truck and run stationary motors for electrical needs, while cane waste could be converted into fertilizer. Only 24 hectares of land would be needed to grow the sugarcane to supply the plant. For large landowners in isolated regions the do-it-yourself distillery could mean a new way of life. One of the chief concerns is the pollution created by the waste. The production of one L of alcohol yields also 12 L of vinhoto, the toxic cane pulp residue. If allowed to flow into waterways, this absorbs oxygen and kills fish, algae and plants. Besides this, a distillery handling 120,000 L a day also produces four tons of yeast. Happily, Brazil has given attention to these problems. The Metalúrgica Conger S. A. manufactures equipment to transform the yeast into protein ration for animals by a thermo-process and the vinhoto into an excellent fertilizer or into animal food by evaporation, without affecting the output of the distillery. A good quality, fertile soil is required for good production. Not all the soil here meets that qualification. Therefore the government intends to develop alongside the original Proálcool program a project for producing ethanol, and later methanol, from eucalyptus wood. The methanol could be used as a substitute for both fuel oil and diesel fuel. The main reason for using eucalyptus is that it does not need as fertile a soil as sugarcane does. Other advantages are that the eucalyptus trees mature very quickly in Brazil (five years) and can be cut throughout the year. Also, weather conditions have very little effect on the growth of eucalyptus but are of major concern for the sugarcane crop. Furthermore, the cost of producing the eucalyptus wood is about $150 (U.S.) per hectare, compared with more than $450 (U.S.) for sugarcane. This higher cost is due to the need of more fertile soil, more fertilizer, pesticides and labor. On the other hand, a plant designed to produce 120,000 L of alcohol a day from eucalyptus wood costs about twice as much as a sugarcane processing plant. Right now the necessary raw material is available for a start. In the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais alone there are more than 500,000 hectares of eucalyptus trees ready to be cut. It would be necessary to plant about 1,000,000 hectares of trees per year to supply the necessary raw material in the future. Recently President Figueiredo declared that “all we need is 10 percent of the cerrado in central Brazil planted with eucalyptus to produce the methanol equivalent to 2 million barrels of petroleum a day.” This would make Brazil independent of oil imports. There are also certain valuable residues. For each 1,000 L of alcohol there are produced 800 kg of metallurgic coke, 350 kg animal food (protein), 500 kg carbonic gas, and 30 kg of furfural, a raw material for resins and solvents. The value of the first two items alone is about 70 percent that of the alcohol produced. So it is said that the price of alcohol could vary between 10 and 20 cents per L, depending on the extent to which these by-products can be utilized. Changes in Automobiles Any gasoline car can be converted to alcohol with just some minor adaptations, mainly for better performance. It costs about $200 (U.S.) to $250 (U.S.) per car. In their favor, alcohol cars accelerate faster than gasoline-powered cars. And since alcohol has a higher explosion temperature, it does not burst into flames readily if the car is wrecked. But fuel consumption increases 10 to 15 percent. Also, alcohol-converted engines have shown significant corrosion in carburetors, distribution pumps and fuel tanks. Therefore, more recently converted engines have plastic-lined parts and aluminum carburetors, to eliminate this problem. Another problem is poor starting in very cold weather. To offset this, methods to preheat alcohol for ignition have been developed. In São Paulo, the orange-colored cars neatly marked “Movido a Álcool” (Alcohol Powered) have become a common sight. The standard joke when they pass is, “Well, at least the driver is!” Nevertheless, the alcohol program has long since passed the joking stage. It is a reality. Automobile manufacturers already have alcohol-powered cars rolling off the assembly lines. The goal for 1980 is 250,000 automobiles with 100-percent alcohol engines. The government estimates that by 1982 more than 1,000,000 cars will have been adapted or will have factory-built engines using alcohol exclusively. But is biomass alcohol the complete answer? It is, in fact, a valuable renewable source of energy that God has made available to man. However, conversion to alcohol for fuel is not going to solve all the problems. Misuse of this resource and greed in production and distribution can lead to serious problems just as it has with petroleum. The real problem will not be solved until selfish exploiters among mankind have been removed. Do we have reason to believe that this ever will take place? Yes, but not by human efforts. However, the Bible shows that it is God’s purpose to do this by means of his Messianic kingdom. “From oppression and from violence he will redeem their soul, and their blood will be precious in his eyes.”—Ps. 72:14 |
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Changing Automobiles |
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