THE SUCCESS OF THE BRAZILIAN ALCOHOL PROGRAM (PROÁLCOOL) - A DECADE-BY-DECADE BRIEF HISTORY OF ETHANOL IN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT The National Alcohol Program (Proálcool) was a strategic policy of the Brazilian government to replace petroleum-based fuels with alcohol (ethanol). Based on the review, we can choose the 1960s as a start point for a leap in development. Over the 500 years of sugarcane history in Brazil, the crop enters the second decade of the 21st century with extraordinary strength and prestige, reaching its highest production in history. This made Brazil a leader in sugar and ethanol productions worldwide, with an energy-independent agribusiness. Moreover, effluents and polluting wastes were tran...