Brazilian biopower could more than double by 2025, ousting the United States from its leading role in the business.

That’s according to research which claims Brazil could overtake its North American rival by 2018, when its 2013 bioenergy output of 11.51 gigawatts (GW) will have shot up to 17.10GW.

By this time the US is predicted to have 16.49 GW, up less than a gigawatt from 2013 levels, stated the ‘Global Biopower Market’ report.

Harshavardhan Reddy Nagatham, Alternative Energy Analyst at consultancy GlobalData said: “The nascent Brazilian market is being driven by the government, which has made it necessary for local utility service providers to obtain at least 2 GW of installed biomass capacity through auctions annually, for ten years from 2007.”

He said a rise in sugarcane plantations across Brazil is expected to compensate for the deforestation which is expected in certain areas. Sugarcane can be used as a fuel in biomass burners.