Brazilian bioenergy groups reject Senator's ethanol claims

Several major Brazilian bioenergy and sugarcane industry associations have issued a joint statement repudiating comments made by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The Senator had compared the blending of ethanol into gasoline to ‘shrinkflation,’ a claim the industry groups argue misinforms consumers and undermines five decades of national energy policy.

The signatory organizations—including UNICA, UNEM, Bioenergia Brasil, FEPLANA, UNIDA, and ORPLANA—noted that the ‘Fuel of the Future Law’ actually passed the Senate with the Senator's own consent. They emphasized that ethanol is a high-octane fuel that contributes to economic performance, job creation, and Brazil's energy sovereignty.

To support their position, the groups cited technical studies conducted by the Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia. These tests, performed in coordination with the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), evaluated various vehicle and motorcycle models across different blending percentages (27%, 30%, and 32%). The studies concluded that the current mixtures are fully viable without compromising vehicle performance or consumer interests.