Drivers of ethanol fuel development in Brazil: A sociotechnical review

Abstract

The development of ethanol as a vehicle fuel in Brazil is the result of a historical trajectory shaped by the interaction of several societal and technological elements. This article addresses this relationship from the perspective of sociotechnical systems, by framing how each sociotechnical element (actors, exogenous shocks, infrastructure, knowledge, social institutions and technologies) enabled the consolidation of ethanol as a fuel alternative to gasoline in Brazil. The section dedicated to institutional change provides a historical overview emphasizing institutional arrangements aimed toward ethanol fuel specifically, as well as an updated review of formal incentive mechanisms. To discuss the expertise system, we analyze the role of private and public actors of research and development (R&D) related with ethanol fuel. We also provide a summary table of the associated sociotechnical elements for researchers interested in applying the sociotechnical transitions framework in the context of biofuels. This article suggests that the strengthening of the sociotechnical system has enabled flexible-fuel vehicles to reach over 70% of the Brazilian light vehicle fleet since their introduction in 2003, a threshold that may indicate an energy transition if changes in fleets, instead of new vehicle sales, are accounted for as an energy transition by itself. Graphical abstract