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Brazil's Embraer, Azul Assess Use of Sugarcane-Based Fuel



SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer-Empresa Brasileiras de Aeronautica (ERJ, EMBR3.BR) and airline Azul Linhas Aereas are assessing the use of sugarcane-based renewable fuel in their jets, a press release said Wednesday.

Embraer, Azul Linhas Aereas, General Electric Co. (GE) and U.S. company Amyris Biotechnologies on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to assess technical aspects of the renewable fuel with the aim to launch test flights by 2012, the release said.

"Making the skies cleaner is a complicated task and requires extensive commitment and expertise," said Frederico Curado, Embraer's president.

One of the core aims is to produce fewer greenhouse gases with the new sugarcane-based fuel than with conventional petrol, the release said.

Amyris Biotechnologies is developing the fuel, while GE will develop the engines. Amyris in June opened a renewable products demonstration facility in Campinas city in Sao Paulo state.

Brazil is the world's No.1 sugar and sugarcane-based ethanol producer.

-By Tony Danby; Dow Jones Newswires; 55-11-2847-4523; Anthony.Danby@ dowjones.com


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  11-18-091102ET
  Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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