An important source of renewable energy in the Brazilian energy matrix is biomass, which is all organic matter, of animal or vegetable origin, used to produce energy as is the case of sugar cane bagasse. Bagasse is the fibrous residue after harvesting sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and extracting its juice. Excess electricity generated in industries through the burning of sugarcane bagasse can be exported to the grid in a cogeneration process.
This fact brings a significant opportunity to "export" energy production from the more than 300 sugar and alcohol factories spread throughout the Southeast region. This concept is based on the exploration of a better utilization of bagasse that until now has been very inefficiently burned in low pressure boilers, together with a collection of sugar cane residues. The current practice of burning such residues on farmland, before harvest, will soon be banned throughout Brazil. More than 90 new plants are currently being developed and by 2015 the production of alcohol should reach double the current annual volume of 17,000 million liters.