The technological innovation process and the main institutions and actors involved in the development of an ethanol-fueled airplane: The case of Ipanema

Abstract

Brazil has been playing, since the early seventies, a leading role in the development of renewable fuels for different purposes, ranging from automobiles, trucks, buses, and electricity generation to airplanes. The purpose of the paper is to describe the technological innovation process and its environment, institutions, and main actors, both developers and facilitators, which were involved in the development of a wide array of the new technologies required for the use of ethanol as a feasible alternative for fossil fuels consumed by airplanes. The development of an agricultural alcohol-powered airplane - The Ipanema - by the CTA (General Command of Aerospace Technology) and Embraer (Brazilian Aeronautical Enterprise) will be described, in order to highlight both the technical and managerial challenges. The paper will also address the challenges that the country, its institutions, scientists and entrepreneurs will face, as it intends to position itself as a worldwide supplier and technological leader in the use of the new fuel. © 2008 PICMET.