Brazil exports record ethanol levels

Brazil exported a record-high 5.16 billion litres of ethanol fuel in 2008, up 45.7% from 2007, the Ministry of Mines and Energy reports.

The amount of ethanol fuel exported in 2008 was over two times higher than the exports of petrol made by state-owned oil giant Petrobras in the same period.

The fuel sold for $0.47 (€0.35) per litre in 2008, up 16% from 2007. The US led imports of the fuel with 2.8 billion litres in the year.

In Brazil, an increase in the consumption of ethanol is expected for 2009, due to the increasing number of flexible-fuel cars in the national fleet.

Adding biodiesel oil to regular diesel oil, which was 2% in the first half of last year, and 3% in the second half, meant a saving of around
$976 million in 2008, the reports says.

The amount refers to the reduction of 1.1 billion litres of diesel fuel imported in Brazil last year.

There are 51 biodiesel production plants in Brazil.