Plant material particularly rich in starches and sugars such as sugarcane, wheat, etc., can
be fermented to produce ethanol. Alternatively, methanol can be produced by the
distillation of biomass, which contains considerable cellulose such as wood and bagasse
(residue from sugarcane). Both of these alcohols can be used to fuel vehicles and
machinery, and can be mixed with gasoline to make a gasoline/alcohol blend. Brazil’s
National Fuel Alcohol Program was launched in 1975, based on an initial strategy of
substituting gasoline in the internal combustion engines of light vehicles, mainly Otto
cycle. Phased in through blends initially at small percentages, it has now reached 24%,
with no need for any technical modifications to vehicles [11,12].