Cooperativas de nova geração e a agroenergia no Brasil.

This study presents a first approach towards the New Generation Coopera tive (NGC) thematic and wants to find out whether it can be an alternative to the Brazilian agroenergy sector development, specifically the biodiesel market. It's presented the story of the first NGC in the USA and Canada and their experiences with the agribusiness and agroenergy business. A comparison has been made between these experiences and the Brazilian cooperative story and the Brazil's National Alcohol Program (Proalcool), looking for elements to help justify the adoption of NGC in Brazil. NGC is not a solution to any business. In spite of the fact NGC was built from the cooperativism ideals, its evolution is based on the capitalism perspective. It demands professional management skills and high investments, what defines the needs for high education degree of the farmers and increase in the business risk. NGC is not an spontaneous phenomena, but a rational answer to changes in the rural business. The well succeeded cases point to three conditions for NGC adoption: business characteristics; farmer's characteristics; and institutional environment. The best businesses were those focused in the costumer's needs, dealing with high technology production processes, adding value, research-developmentinnovation dependent and market oriented. The farmers must have previous experience with cooperatives and organizational management, willing to accept more risks and share them. The institutional environment must give support through public policies, but none of them must lead the NGC implementation. NGC should be considered in future plans and programs in the Brazilian agroenergy sector. In the Brazilian biodiesel market, NGC is more interesting in business concerned to local development.