⛽ Not all biofuels are created equal

Brazil's sugarcane industry has long made the country the world's second-largest ethanol producer, behind only the United States. Corn-based ethanol has rapidly expanded output in recent years and now producers are turning to other crops — such as wheat, rice and even soybeans — to make the biofuel.

Of the 371 ethanol plants that the ANP, Brazil’s fuels regulator, has authorized to operate in Brazil, 26 rely on raw materials other than sugarcane and corn. Among these less orthodox inputs are sweet potato, soy molasses and sorghum, a grain so similar to corn that it can be processed in the same plants. 

Brazil produced 35.9 million cubic meters of ethanol in 2025, according to the ANP. Fuel from these alternative sources accounted for…

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