Demand for ethanol is unlikely to disappear as cars become more electric.

The global movement by governments and automakers to boost the electrification of cars does not mean ethanol will be dead as a product, according to an executive of one of the world`s largest producers of biofuel.

Beyond the demand that will continue to exist in countries that produce the biofuel and where adoption of EVs is seen as slower, such as Brazil and India, there are industries that will need to use biofuels to reduce emissions where electrification is not a feasible option, said Paula Kovarsky, chief strategy officer at Brazil’s Raízen SA. Kavarsky stated that the so-called “hard to abate” industries of shipping and commercial aviation, as well as electric cars that could use fuel cells to convert ethanol into hydrogen to power electric motors, are strong targets for the future of biofuels.

Kavarsky was in New York for the week-long cycle of climate conferences. Among the automakers creating hybrid vehicles are Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen. This technology uses ethanol to create hydrogen within the vehicle, which is then used to power the electric motor.