Brazil: Long Tradition of Renewables-Based Energy Supply and Ethanol Diplomacy

The Brazilian energy sector has one of the highest renewables shares and remains oneof the least carbon-intensive in the world. Electricity supply has long been based onhydropower. In recent years, significant gas, bioenergy and wind capacities have beenadded. Brazil has been a global pioneer in transforming the transport sector, replacingoil with sugarcane ethanol since the 1970s. Today, almost all new motor vehicles allowfor any mixture of gasoline and ethanol. In its international energy policy, renewables –particularly bioenergy – play a key role. With the recent discoveries of deep-water oilreserves, Brazil furthermore aspires to become an international leader in the explorationof deep-water oil and gas.