Report from TECO: the growing corn ethanol industry in Latin America

Special to The Digest

The current landscape and prospects of the corn ethanol industry was the focus of the 9th edition of TECO Latin America, hosted by Novozymes, the leader in biosolutions and producers of enzymes and yeast for the corn ethanol sector worldwide. TECO Latin America is the leading event in the Latin American corn ethanol sector. Important regional representatives of the industry, including producers, investors, associations, and technology providers, gathered on October 4th and 5th in São Paulo, to present anddiscuss the key trends in the industry.

At this year’s event, representatives addressed topics such as the paths of energy transition in the region, the prospects of biorefineries in Latin America, and the impacts of macroeconomics on the sector. It also featured discussions focused on industry operations, performance, and trends. The air was electric and attendees were full of excitement.

“TECO serves as the most relevant forum dedicated entirely to corn ethanol. My outlook for this year is as optimistic as it can be. The market has never been more positive. Talking with various technology providers and solutions for building ethanol plants suggests that the upcoming year will witness a boom in project finalization and investment decisions,” claims Clayton Melo, Vice President of Business Development at Argus Media.

In Brazil, ethanol is present in 50% of land-based motor transportation, a share that tends to increase. Reflecting this trend, the past decade has seen the installation of 18 corn ethanol plants, with an additional 9 currently under construction. According to data provided by the National Corn Ethanol Association (UNEM), production is projected to reach 6 billion liters of corn ethanol during the 2023/2024 season, accounting for approximately 19% of the country’s total ethanol consumption. This represents a remarkable 36% increase compared to the previous year and an astonishing 800% surge over the past five years.

“Since 2015, TECO has been supporting corn ethanol companies in making strategic decisions, creating an environment for new ideas and exchange of experiences. Our goal is to bring together key players and provide high-quality analysis of the current landscape of this constantly evolving sector, thus fostering a broad debate and industry growth,” said Fabricio Leal Rocha, Head of Bioenergy Business at Novozymes Latin America.

The two-day event aimed to expand the discussion on challenges and opportunities in the corn ethanol industry in Brazil and other Latin American countries. Sustainability, in addition to being the theme that closed the event, permeated all discussions, being addressed both as a guiding principle of the perspectives and trends identified by participating experts and as a result of the implementation of technologies that optimize resource and energy usage.

“The event featured prominent figures from the corn ethanol sector. Bringing in authorities and individuals who understand the entire corn ethanol production chain, from cultivation to processing, is essential for clarifying doubts and charting the way forward. While the past is known and the present is being lived, guiding the future is crucial, and I believe that Novozymes has once again accomplished that at TECO,” stated Celso Moretti, former President of EMBRAPA.

Novozymes, the event promoter, is a Danish company leading in biosolutions, such as enzymes and microorganisms. The multinational operates in 140 countries and over 30 industries, including corn ethanol production. In addition to the company, other participants in the event include Argus Media, Raízen, Be8, Inpasa, ICM, Katzen, Siemens, São Martinho, Flottweg, FS, and Embrapa, the consulting firm Nord Research, and the National Corn Ethanol Association (UNEM).

Market Innovation

During the event, Novozymes presented its newest innovation of the Innova^® brand yeast for heavy duty biofuel production. Developed to increase yield while maintaining high consistency in the process, this biosolution enables corn ethanol producers to expand their production with reliability, thus increasing profitability.

The Innova® family of advanced yeasts continue to provide the industry with enhanced performance, meeting production needs and maximizing results.

About Novozymes

Novozymes is the world leader in biological solutions. Together with customers, partners and the global community, we improve industrial performance while preserving the planet’s resources and helping build better lives. As the world’s largest provider of enzyme and microbial technologies, our bioinnovation enables higher agricultural yields, low-temperature washing, energy-efficient production, renewable fuel and many other benefits that we rely on today and in the future. We call it Rethink Tomorrow. www.novozymes.com