Biofuel and Economic Complexity in the Context of Global Competitiveness: Comparative Cases Between the United States, Brazil and China

Abstract

The present study aims to carry out an international analysis of the biofuels sector, from the United States, Brazil and China, in order to verify how countries have dealt with strategies for adding technology and value to the sector. The methodology of this study is focused on the analysis of data on the economic complexity of the biofuels sector, relating production and innovation indicators, from a quantitative and qualitative point of view. Very clear situations are evidenced in terms of international perspectives for the evolution of the biofuels sector among the countries selected in this study. The United States is a world leader in the production of biofuels and also increases its leadership in the technological domain through the generation of patents in Brazil, which is also a major international competitor, however, a less complex sector. In the era of patents, China, despite hardly appearing as a major international producer, has been investing heavily in the generation of new technologies, also betting on the complexity of the sector.