Brazil to reach 45 pct. of energy from renewables in 5 years

By 2023, Brazil will be getting 45 percent of its energy from renewable sources, according to a report presented Monday by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

“Brazil is a rising star” in energy sustainability and can be “an inspiration” for many other countries, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol says in the report, which was presented in an event at the foreign ministry in Brasilia.

The IEA study identifies 2020 as a “crucial” year for biofuels development policies, especially since a regulation taking effect in China will require gasoline sold there to contain 10 percent ethanol, with Brazil being one of the biggest producers in the world of that type of alcohol.

“The IEA report shows that Brazil made the right choice” when adopting policies for the development and use of biofuels, said the foreign ministry’s undersecretary for Environment and Energy, Jose Antonio Marcondes.

He said that these policies, which have been promoted for decades, enable Brazil to be one of the leading countries in the use of biofuels, which should guarantee the country a significant presence in the international markets for cleaner fuels.