Intermodal Transport of Ethanol in Brazil: A Simulation Using Partial Equilibrium

Abstract

: The search for renewable energy has put ethanol on another level, making Brazil the second largest producer in the world. The aim of this study was to analyze ethanol transportation alternatives in the face of the current logistics in Brazil. It was proposed a partial equilibrium model analyzing three scenarios: the first concerned a base scenario (scenario 1), the second estimated a 15% decrease in railroad freight (scenario 2), and the third included new national pipeline projects (scenario 3). Scenario 3 showed the highest trading volumes with a 0.20% increase compared with the base scenario, indicating transport systems that prioritize multimodality. It was also highlighted that the multimodality assumptions of scenarios 2 and 3 resulted in competitiveness gains in the international market, because all the routes destined for foreign markets are multimodal.