Distributed electricity generation from sugarcane for agricultural irrigation: A case study from the midwest region of Brazil

Abstract The Midwest is the largest Brazilian agricultural region, far from major power production units. The availability of energy close to consumption, or distributed generation (DG), can reduce distribution costs and losses. We verified the possibility of using electric power from sugarcane biomass to irrigate corn crops through interviews with sugarcane companies and farmers. Direct commercialization of energy from sugarcane biomass for irrigation is not viable due to energy subsidies received by irrigating farmers. Most sugarcane energy is sold into the national network, without considering its origin. DG has potential, but its development involves the increase of rural energy consumption, such as for irrigation.