Acelen aposta na macaúba para gerar biocombustível

Market: Biofuels
19/06/24

A Acelen, subsidiária brasileira do fundo soberano árabe Mubadala, planeja usar a macaúba, uma palmeira nativa brasileira, para produzir biocombustíveis, disse o CEO Luiz Mendonça na conferência Argus Biofuels and Feedstocks Latin America.

A empresa quer estabelecer uma floresta permanente de 180 mil hectares para plantar macaúba, disse Mendonça na conferência, que acontece entre hoje e amanhã em São Paulo.

A maior vantagem da macaúba é que a planta pode produzir 7-10 litros/hectare a mais de biocombustíveis do que a soja, acrescentou ele. As palmeiras podem ser cultivadas no cerrado, bioma presente em cerca de 25pc do País.

A palmeira também pode crescer em áreas de plantio devastadas, o que agrada os mercados americanos e europeus, disse o executivo.

Mendonça também falou que a macaúba pede pouca água, começa a dar frutos em 3-4 anos e pode produzir por 30-40 anos.

A palmeira ainda pode gerar outros subprodutos para setores de cosméticos, polímeros e alimentação animal, entre outros, o CEO acrescentou.

A Acelen informou, no ano passado, que planeja construir uma biorrefinaria na Bahia para produzir óleo vegetal hidratado (HVO) e combustível sustentável de aviação (SAF) para o mercado de exportação.

A biorrefinaria deverá começar a operar em 2026 e terá uma capacidade de produção de 20 mil b/d de HVO e SAF. A empresa pretende investir até US$ 2,5 bilhões na nova refinaria ao longo da próxima década.

Inicialmente, a planta usará óleo de soja e de milho como matéria-prima, e fará a transição para o óleo de palmeira dentro de 3-4 anos.

Mas a macaúba não é uma "arma mágica" para aumentar a produção global de biocombustíveis, disse Mendonça. "Outras empresas estão pesquisando outras coisas. Se vamos [ampliar a produção de biocombustível], será um esforço conjunto. Todos estão contribuindo", falou.

Combustível do Futuro

O CEO disse que o programa Combustível do Futuro foi importante para aumentar a produção de biocombustível, mas é apenas um primeiro passo de um longo caminho.

Mendonça se disse cético sobre o programa, já que não oferece mandatos claros para o setor. "O Brasil está atrás do resto do mundo" no assunto, ele afirmou.

Por Lucas Parolin

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