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Inpasa e Vibra estudam produção de metanol verde

  • Spanish Market: Biofuels, E-fuels, Petrochemicals
  • 11/01/24

A líder do varejo de combustíveis Vibra e a fabricante de etanol de milho Inpasa se uniram para produzir e vender metanol verde no Brasil, em um momento em que armadores buscam opções viáveis para descarbonizar a navegação.

As companhias assinaram um memorando de entendimento para explorar a produção de metanol verde — metanol com zero emissões de carbono, também chamado de e-metanol — a partir de resíduos de etanol.

Inicialmente, serão necessários 180 dias para a conclusão dos estudos em torno do projeto e ambas as partes indicarão representantes para trabalhar na pesquisa. Outros detalhes, incluindo cronogramas e largada na produção, não foram divulgados.

A ideia é converter o CO2 capturado nos processos industriais em metanol verde, disse uma fonte com conhecimento sobre o assunto. Se o projeto for bem-sucedido, o biocombustível deverá ser destinado ao uso marítimo e aos setores industriais.

O metanol é uma matéria-prima chave muito demandada por diferentes setores industriais — incluindo produtos químicos, como fibras poliméricas, plásticos para embalagens, colas, fraldas, tintas, adesivos e solventes. Também serve como combustível ou aditivo de combustível.

Tradicionalmente, o metanol é produzido através de um processo catalítico que utiliza matérias-primas fósseis — como o gás natural ou o carvão —, o que torna as emissões de GEE (gases de efeito estufa) inerentes à sua produção.

O metanol verde pode ser um aliado promissor para reduzir as pegadas de carbono de indústrias com emissões elevadas, inclusive como substituto de combustíveis marítimos. Sua maior vantagem reside na possibilidade de poder compartilhar da infraestrutura já existente no mercado – construída para seus primos fósseis.

O interesse das empresas acontece na esteira de um anúncio semelhante da gigante sucroalcooleira Raízen e da empresa de tecnologia marítima finlandesa Wärtsilä Marine, em outubro do ano passado. As duas estão realizando estudos de viabilidade de motores "flex-álcool", que poderiam funcionar tanto com metanol quanto com etanol.

O governo federal analisa, em parceria com empresas navais e companhias sucroalcooleiras, um caminho para alavancar a adoção do biocombustível no setor naval, em decorrência do compromisso assumido por membros da membros da Organização Marítima Internacional (IMO, na sigla em inglês) em atingir o carbono zero até 2050.

Tal como acontece com o combustível de aviação sustentável (SAF, na sigla em inglês) globalmente, o desafio enfrentado pela indústria marítima poderá abrir uma nova avenida para os produtores brasileiros de etanol, dada a ameaça representada pelo crescente mercado de veículos elétricos.


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26/09/24

Aug wildfires in Brazilian state surge eightfold

Aug wildfires in Brazilian state surge eightfold

Sao Paulo, 26 September (Argus) — Fires in Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state, increased eightfold in August from the same month last year, an "alarming rate" amid extreme climate conditions that harm the sugarcane industry, sector associations said. The state had 11,628 fire outbreaks last month, more than triple the historic average of 3,550. Nearly half of the fires took place on 23 August alone, according to data from industry association Canaoeste and fire monitoring network GMG Ambiental. Fires hit 658,600 hectares. The town of Pitangueira had the most blazes, at 354. Altinopolis and Sertaozinho came in second and third, with 252 and 296, respectively. Nearly all of the most affected towns have high production of sugarcane. The groups highlighted that 20-24 August fires happened as low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds put Sao Paulo in "extreme risk" for wildfires. The data was shown in a meeting with several industry representatives, such as Canoeste, Unica and Orplana. The groups added that sugarcane producers were not responsible for the fires nor were benefiting from them, defending themselves from accusations that they could be lighting fires to accelerate harvesting — an old common practice supposedly abolished. By Maria Ligia Barros Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Vertex Energy files for bankruptcy, seeks sale


25/09/24
25/09/24

Vertex Energy files for bankruptcy, seeks sale

Houston, 25 September (Argus) — Specialty refiner Vertex Energy has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in a US court following a failed foray into renewable fuels production at its 88,000 b/d Mobile, Alabama, refinery. Vertex has entered into a restructuring support agreement with its lenders and secured $80mn of new funding to finance its day-to-day business operations, the company said late Tuesday. The refiner is also considering a "more value-maximizing sale transaction" and expects to confirm its chapter 11 bankruptcy plan by the end of the year, according to the 24 September press release. Vertex announced in May this year that it would "pause" renewable diesel production at its Alabama refinery and return the unit to producing fossil fuel products. The company later said it would use a third quarter turnaround to return the Alabama plant's converted hydrocracking unit to processing fossil fuel feedstocks and be back online in the fourth quarter. Vertex also operates a re-refinery near New Orleans, Louisiana, that produces low-sulfur vacuum gas oil (VGO) and multiple used motor oil (UMO) processing plants and collection facilities along the Gulf coast. Refiners have faced mixed fortunes in recent years with their investments in renewable fuels after a glut of new supply flooded markets and depressed renewable credit prices. US independent refiner Delek announced in August that it is temporarily idling three biodiesel plants in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi as it explores alternative uses for the sites. Chevron said earlier this year it was indefinitely closing two biodiesel plants in Wisconsin and Iowa due to market conditions. By Nathan Risser Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU crushing up in August on rapeseed, US soy harvest


25/09/24
25/09/24

EU crushing up in August on rapeseed, US soy harvest

London, 25 September (Argus) — EU and UK mills crushed more soybeans and rapeseed in August compared with the previous month and a year earlier, as inclement weather caused earlier harvests this year in Europe, increasing EU supplies. But total refined oil production levels were unchanged on the month. Fewer sunflower seeds (SFS) were crushed in August than in July, as high SFS prices lowered margins for crushers. Total oilseed crush levels increased on the month by 7pc to 3.5mn t in August, led by greater volumes of crushed soybeans and rapeseed, which increased by 6pc and 13pc, respectively. The UK and EU imported 135,000t less oilseeds on the month in August as the European harvest began, resulting in about 1.35mn t of imports in total. Production of semi-refined oil — typically used in the biodiesel sector — increased by 7pc on the month. But fully-refined oil — typically for the food sector — fell by 4pc, leaving total refined oil production virtually unchanged on the month. Rapeseed crushing rose by 13pc on the month in August and by 5pc on the year, as Ukraine, the UK and the EU began harvesting their 2024-25 harvests 3-4 weeks earlier than usual, given the crop's earlier flowering and ripening with unfavourable weather conditions. Soybean crushing continued to increase in August. But the share of soybeans in total oilseed imports has fallen — from 78.5pc in July to 71pc in August. The EU and the UK imported 200,000 fewer tonnes of soybeans in August than in July — or about 960,500t of soybeans in total. SFS crushing fell by 14pc in August to 0.4mn t on high SFS prices and limited stocks in the EU and Ukraine, as new-crop SFS arrivals — for the 2024-25 marketing year — do not start before this month. Nevertheless, SFS crushing increased by 17pc across the first seven months of this year on the back of greater EU crushing capacity. The strongest seed crushing growth expected by the USDA is in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, and to a lesser extent in Germany and Italy. By Madeleine Jenkins EU + UK crushing volumes mn t Aug-24 Jul-24 m-o-m change Aug-23 y-o-y change Jan-Aug 24 Jan-Aug 23 y-o-y change Soybean 1.21 1.14 6% 1.15 5% 9.5 9.6 -1% Sunflower seed 0.39 0.45 -14% 0.37 5% 4.0 3.4 17% Rapeseed 1.88 1.67 13% 1.72 9% 13.3 12.6 5% Semi-refined 0.35 0.33 7% 0.34 3% 2.7 2.6 5% Fully-refined 0.60 0.62 -4% 0.57 4% 4.9 4.5 8% Total Total oilseed 3.48 3.25 7% 3.24 7% 26.8 25.6 5% Total refined 0.95 0.95 0% 0.91 4% 7.5 7.0 7% Fediol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

California sues ExxonMobil for plastics marketing


23/09/24
23/09/24

California sues ExxonMobil for plastics marketing

Washington, 23 September (Argus) — California has filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil that alleges the company misled state residents for years by promoting recycling as a solution to plastic waste, despite knowing that most plastic cannot and will not be recycled. California attorney general Rob Bonta said the lawsuit, filed today in state court, would hold ExxonMobil accountable for a "decades-long deception" that he says has exacerbated plastic pollution on land and waters. The state is seeking to block the company from certain marketing claims about recycling, in addition to imposing penalties and contributing to an abatement fund to clean up plastic waste. "ExxonMobil has been deceiving the public to convince us that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste and pollution crisis when they clearly knew this wasn't possible," Bonta said. ExxonMobil is the world's largest producer of petrochemical polymers used in single-use plastics, the lawsuit says, with 14.5mn t/yr of production capacity of polyethylene and polypropylene last year. The lawsuit comes after an investigation that Bonta launched into the plastic waste "crisis" in 2022. ExxonMobil did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit has similarities to climate-related lawsuits that state and local governments have recently filed against ExxonMobil and other oil companies by alleging various violations of state laws on "public nuisance" and misleading advertising. Today's lawsuit cites internal company communications to allege ExxonMobil knowingly promoted deceptive information on recycling to avoid "negative" consumer perceptions about single-use plastics. The lawsuit comes a day after California governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law that will ban all plastic bags from being provided at grocery stores in 2026. California law already restricts the availability of thin, single-use plastic bags at stores. Critics said those restrictions led stores to pivot to thicker plastic bags that are mostly thrown away, resulting in a net increase in plastic waste. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Industry groups applaud national recycling bill


20/09/24
20/09/24

Industry groups applaud national recycling bill

Houston, 20 September (Argus) — A bill that would standardize aspects of the US recycling system and set a recycled content mandate has met with support from plastics industry groups and companies. The bill, which was introduced by US Congressman Larry Buchson (R-Indiana) and US Congressman Don Davis (D-North Carolina), would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to establish national recycling standards across the US, lessen restrictions on chemical recycling, and set a minimum recycled content standard for plastic packaging. The bill would require manufacturers of plastic packaging to use 30pc recycled content by 2030 in order to spur demand for recycled plastic, putting the percentage ahead of some state mandate laws such as New Jersey. The bill also defines chemical recycling as manufacturing instead of solid waste disposal, which would lower environmental regulation restrictions on chemical recyclers. Already, 25 states have enshrined this in law following support from plastics industry groups. The Plastics Industry Association and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) both came out in favor of the national recycling bill after it was announced yesterday. Additionally, Berry chief executive Kevin Kwilinski and Lyondellbasell chief executive Peter Vanacker also backed the bill. "This bill would bring about transformational change to how we recycle plastics in this country, while creating regulatory certainty for businesses to tackle these important challenges," ACC chief executive Chris Jahns said. By Zach Kluver Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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