Brazil launches world-first ethanol-powered engine for grid electricity

• 2 hours ago (2026-06-05)
• David Flin

Biofuel 2 Ethanol 1 Gas engine plant 92 Latin America 103

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Brazil has launched what is described as the world’s first engine designed to run almost entirely on ethanol for large-scale power generation, opening a pathway for use of the biofuel.

Suape Energia and Wärtsilä have completed the implementation phase of the Ethanol Project at Suape II power plant in Pernambuco, Brazil, and are preparing for operational testing. The initiative aims to demonstrate if ethanol is a viable fuel for utility-scale electricity generation.

The project uses a modified Wärtsilä 32M engine capable of operating on ethanol derived primarily from Brazilian sugarcane.

José Faustino Cândido, Technical Director of Suape Energia, said: “Brazil is a world leader in ethanol production, but its potential use in electricity generation has up to now been overlooked.”