Ethanol is a colorless volatile liquid that burns with a blue flame. It is also known as the ‘green fuel’ since it is produced from corn, sun flower, grains and other agricultural waste. It has been used as a source of energy and light since the nineteen century. It can also be used as a fuel, mainly as a bio-fuel alternative to gasoline. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline in varying quantities up to pure ethanol, and most spark-ignited gasoline style engines will operate well with mixtures of 10% ethanol.

Importance of ethanol

After the increase in oil prices the world started to give ethanol more attention as an alternative source of energy. It is used as a fuel for cars and in many chemical industries and laboratory experiments.

In terms of environmental measures, ethanol is friendly to the ecosystem. It is characterized by producing less pollution than gasoline and benzene in addition to absorbing carbon from the air during its production. It also terminates totally the acid rains which lead to pollution. Moreover, ethanol is a cheap renewable source and entails political and economic benefits for both producing and consuming countries and protects them from fluctuating oil prices and political pressures.  Many countries expect that ethanol will replace natural fuel by 2030.

Sudan potential

In Sudan, Ethanol Plant was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, 10 June 2009 in Kenana, White Nile State, about 250 km south of Khartoum, where is the main factory of sugar production in the country, with the cost of forty million US dollars. The project of ethanol is a joint effort between the Ministry of Energy, Kenana Company and Giad Company. The Plant will produce Ethanol from sugar cane. It’s the first of its kind in Africa, with an annual production capacity of sixty five million liters scheduled to increase up to two hundred million liters per annum within a couple of years.

The plant was designed and built by Dedini, a Brazilian company based in the state of Sao Paulo that makes machinery and equipment for the sugar and alcohol industry.

Brazilian interest

Brazil, the global leader in the production of ethanol from sugarcane, showed interest in cooperating with Sudan on producing bio-fuels. This interest is based on the country's vast agricultural potential. Sudan has around 86 million hectares of arable land available for rain fed agriculture, (roughly three times the size of the United Kingdom, twice the size of California); some 17 million hectares (slightly less than 20%) is currently under cultivation.

Sudan exports ethanol to Europe

 On Sunday 27th of December Sudan celebrated the export of the first shipment, 5 million liters of Ethanol to Amsterdam, which was shipped from Port Sudan. The State Minister of Industry declared that the company would ship extra 10 million liters of Ethanol bio-fuel within the next two weeks. Moreover, within the next three months the company will be able to export 35,000 metric tons of the Ethanol bio-fuel to Europe. Then the company will regularly export 5 million liters per month. Total exports during this season shall top 65 million liters of Ethanol bio-fuel. Revenues of exports will range between 48 to 50 million US dollars.

The State Minister added that Sudanese bio-fuel is one of the best qualities worldwide as its degree of purity tops 99.8 upon production and shipment. The minister expected that in the future, the country realizes 350 million US dollars per annum, which is equivalent to two-thirds of non-oil exports.

Ethanol production in the world is growing. According to the Renewable Fuels Organization, the 2007 world ethanol production is as follows;

2007 world ethanol fuel production

 (in millions of gallons)

USA (6498.6), Brazil (5019.2), European Union (570.3), China (486.0), Canada (211.3), Thailand (79.2), Columbia (74.9) India (52.8), Central America (39.6), Australia (26.4), Turkey (15.8), Pakistan (9.2), Peru (7.9), Argentina (5.2), Paraguay (4.7).

Total: 13,101.7