"It's a revolutionary product. Brazil is pioneering new technology to produce second - generation ethanol , dubbed 2 G , as a solution to help the country meet its pledge of a 40 % reduction in carbon emissions before 2025 and a 43 % reduction by 2030 . Brazil is already the second biggest producer of ethanol from sugar cane and more than 60 % of its 36 million vehicles run on ethanol or ethanol - fuel flex systems . However , sugar cane requires vast plantations , which often means cutting down carbon - dioxide absorbing forests . Second - generation ethanol is obtained from the remnants of sugar cane after sugar and standard ethanol production and therefore requires no new plantations . " It 's a revolutionary product ... the fact that we do n't need to develop more sources for the 2 G , nor to expand the plantations , helps contribute to a significant drop in our gas emissions " , said Antonio Stuchi , Production Director at the Riazen Factory , one of only two factories in Brazil currently producing 2G.
Brazil is pioneering new technology to produce second - generation ethanol , dubbed 2 G , as a solution to help the country meet its pledge of a 40 % reduction in carbon emissions before 2025 and a 43 % reduction by 2030 . Brazil is already the second biggest producer of ethanol from sugar cane and more than 60 % of its 36 million vehicles run on ethanol or ethanol - fuel flex systems . However , sugar cane requires vast plantations , which often means cutting down carbon - dioxide absorbing forests . Second - generation ethanol is obtained from the remnants of sugar cane after sugar and standard ethanol production and therefore requires no new plantations . " It 's a revolutionary product ... the fact that we do n't need to develop more sources for the 2 G , nor to expand the plantations , helps contribute to a significant drop in our gas emissions " , said Antonio Stuchi , Production Director at the Riazen Factory , one of only two factories in Brazil currently producing 2G.