**Abstract**

The production of ethanol from sugarcane has migrated from the first to the second-generation thanks to the biotechnological advancement in the production process. From the survey of patent documents in the area, it is possible to highlight the most relevant patents according to the impact index, measured by the number of citations, and to evaluate the technological trajectories involved in the production of ethanol using a patent citation as a methodology. In addition, it is possible to identify the main actors involved in the technological field, as well as the network of international collaborators. In this context, the study of patent citations will help better understand the main technological advances and global geopolitics in an environment of globalization of technological innovations.

**Keywords:** ethanol, sugarcane, patent, technological trajectories
