Vietnam possesses ample raw materials for biofuel production, presenting a significant opportunity to revolutionize the transportation sector and progress towards sustainable development, according to experts.
During a seminar on the role of ethanol in sustainable mobility held on Wednesday (April 10), officials and business representatives from Brazil and Vietnam deliberated on how dialogue and cooperation could expedite the energy transition in their respective countries, particularly in bioenergy and agroindustry.
Mauro Vieira, the Brazilian foreign minister currently on an official visit to Vietnam, emphasized that this initiative underscores Brazil’s commitment to further collaboration with Vietnam and ASEAN in shaping a more prosperous and sustainable future.
Evandro Gussi, President of the Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association (Unica), estimated that over three billion people in the Global South, including Vietnam, could benefit from adopting biofuels. He highlighted that through fermentation processes, common sugar-based feedstocks like corn, sugarcane, and cassava can be converted into ethanol for use as biofuel.
According to Flavio Castellari, executive director of the Brazilian Ethanol Cluster (APLA), Brazil’s experience can contribute to advancing the ethanol agenda in Vietnam by sharing solutions for agro-industry development in biofuel production.
Despite the legislative allowance for various blending percentages in Vietnam’s petrol market, only two products—unblended petrol and E5 petrol with 5 percent ethanol—are currently available at local stations.
