Ethanol - Chemical Economics Handbook (CEH) | S&P Global

Published October 2024

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is the largest-volume biofuel in the world. Additional uses include solvent applications, chemical raw materials and human consumption.

The bulk of global ethanol production capacity is located in the United States and Brazil. The two countries are the world’s largest consumers of ethanol, as well as its largest producers. Together, the United States and Brazil make up about two-thirds of global ethanol consumption in 2024. Europe, mainland China, India and Canada account for most of the remaining demand.

The following chart presents world consumption of ethanol in 2024:

Global consumption of ethanol is expected to increase at a moderate pace during 2024–29, driven mainly by demand growth in Brazil and (to a much lesser extent) India and Western Europe. Motor fuel consumption will remain the primary growth driver, with regulations and policy initiatives in major fuel-consuming nations determining the growth (or lack of growth) in world ethanol consumption. Similarly, regulations will have a large influence on the demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an emerging application for ethanol.

For more detailed information, see the table of contents, shown below.

S&P Global’s Chemical Economics Handbook – Ethanol is the comprehensive and trusted guide for anyone seeking information on this industry. This latest report details global and regional information, including

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S&P Global’s Chemical Economics Handbook – Ethanol has been compiled using primary interviews with key suppliers, organizations and leading representatives from the industry in combination with S&P Global’s unparalleled access to upstream and downstream market intelligence, expert insights into industry dynamics, trade and economics.

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