Brazil’s first synthetic oil production unit from biogas is in the Itaipu plant area
Itaipu Binacional, in partnership with the International Center for Renewable Energy (CIBiogás) and the H2Brasil project, inaugurated in June 2024, in Foz do Iguaçu (PR), the Renewable Hydrocarbons Production Unit: the first pilot plant in Brazil to produce synthetic oil from biogas, with a focus on generating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
With an investment of 1.8 million euros from the German government, through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the plant installed at Itaipu Binacional is designed to produce 6 kg of bio-syncrude per day, a hydrocarbon mixture created from biogas and green hydrogen, intended to produce SAF.
The process uses up to 50 normal cubic meters per day (Nm³/d) of biogas generated in Itaipu’s bio digestion unit, combined with 53 Nm³ of green hydrogen produced by Itaipu Parquetec. The project is the result of a partnership between the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development, CIBiogás, the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), the Araucária Foundation and Itaipu Binacional.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Luciana Santos, and the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, participated in the inauguration. “The announcement of this pilot plant is a significant milestone in the Brazilian journey towards a fair and inclusive energy transition”, declared Luciana Santos, for whom the project “will contribute to Brazilian objectives related to the decarbonization of the economy, mainly in the aviation sector”. “In our government, science is treated as state policy and constitutes a pillar of national development.”
Costa Filho mentioned the recent approval of a bill by the Chamber of Deputies that establishes the use of SAF by Brazilian airlines – aiming to reduce emissions by 1% in 2025, until reaching 10% in 2035. According to him, research in Foz do Iguaçu, with the support of Itaipu, represent a window of opportunity for Brazil to become a major producer and exporter of SAF. “The world increasingly wants to produce but produce in a clean and sustainable way. And that is where Brazil positions itself as a major international player, so that we can enter this sustainable development agenda,” he said.
The Brazilian general director of Itaipu, Enio Verri, highlighted that the initiative combines environmental concern and technological innovation and drew attention to Itaipu Parquetec’s efforts to research solutions to problems affecting the planet. “Green oil is a reality,” he emphasized. “We are not delivering just one product. We are delivering an accumulation of research, on biogas and green hydrogen, which will now give rise to SAF. The tendency is that, once the research has been laid, progress will be much faster, and we will soon be able to have this sustainable fuel with scale production.”
Verri also highlighted the importance of partnerships involved in the development of the project, especially with the German government. “We have arrived at a time when we can no longer expect that the maintenance of our home, which is the planet Earth, is a solution presented by just one country. It is necessary to concentrate efforts. If you add the accumulated experience of Germany and other countries, we will be able to meet the needs of the population more quickly.”
“This pilot plant is related to many projects that we are developing in partnership [with the public and private sectors]. We hope to have greater production in a short time”, reinforced the director of the H2Brasil project, Markus Francke. “Germany will continue to be a strong partner for Brazil in the energy transition”, added the minister of the Department of Economy and Global Affairs at the German Embassy in Brazil, Holger Rapior.
For the director of the Biofuels Department of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Marlon Arraes, representative of Minister Alexandre Silveira at the event, the pilot plant demonstrates Brazil’s versatility in the production of biomass and biofuels that will help the country in the energy transition. “This shows that Brazil has the technology for this route, which is extremely important for us to have a wide variety of raw materials for the production of SAF.”
The bio-syncrude produced at the Renewable Hydrocarbons Production Unit will be sent to the Laboratory of Applied Kinetics and Thermodynamics (Latca) at UFPR, in Curitiba, for characterization and refining, aiming to obtain sustainable aviation fuel fractions. Furthermore, the Laboratory of Materials and Renewable Energy (Labmater) at UFPR, in Palotina, conducted studies on the biogas dry reforming process and developed the catalysts used in the plant.
Itaipu and G20
Itaipu’s participation in the G20 highlights the relevance of international partnerships for the energy transition. With support from the German government and collaboration with several institutions, Itaipu exemplifies how global cooperation can accelerate the development of clean technologies. During the G20, global leaders will be able to see these initiatives and discuss strategies to replicate such models in other parts of the world.
With initiatives like this, Itaipu Binacional reaffirms its mission of being a leader in the energy transition, contributing to a more sustainable future, which is one of the central themes of the G20 discussions. The plant not only provides clean, renewable energy, but also invests in technological innovation, becoming a symbol of how existing infrastructure can be adapted to meet the demands of the 21st century.
The holding of the G20 in Foz do Iguaçu, from September 30th to October 4th this year, further highlights the importance of Itaipu Binacional, not only as a sponsor of the event, but also as an example of innovation and sustainability.
