Petrobras avalia produção de SAF à base de etanol
A Petrobras pretende produzir combustível sustentável de aviação (SAF, na sigla em inglês) a partir de etanol em parceria com a indústria sucroalcooleira nordestina, disse o presidente Jean Paul Prates.
A Petrobras se reuniu ontem com membros da indústria canavieira do Nordeste no Rio Grande do Norte para discutir "novos projetos de combustíveis renováveis", disse Prates na rede social X, previamente conhecida como Twitter.
A companhia quer cooperar com o setor local em tendências emergentes nos mercados de etanol e combustíveis sintéticos, como o uso do bagaço – a biomassa do processo de moagem da cana-de-açúcar – como matéria-prima.
"Tratamos das novas rotas tecnológicas da Petrobras na garantia de novos combustíveis, com destaque para o potencial do etanol, que pode ser utilizado para a produção SAF", disse Prates
Também participaram da reunião o diretor executivo de logística, comercialização e mercados, Claudio Schlosser, representantes do Sindicato da Indústria de Álcool dos Estados do Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará e Piauí (Sonal) e dirigentes das usinas Estivas, Grupo Farias e Grupo Telles.
A cartada é parte do objetivo da Petrobras de liderar globalmente a transição energética e a busca por soluções de baixo carbono, em parceria com outros agentes do setor energético nacional, segundo Prates.
Recentemente, a Petrobras anunciou o seu plano estratégico para 2024-28, que direciona $1,5 bilhão para o biorrefino até 2027.
Na virada do ano, a companhia revelou planos para produzir diesel renovável e SAF em sua refinaria Presidente Bernardes (170.000 b/d), em Cubatão, com tecnologia da companhia de engenharia norte-americana Honeywell.
Empresas sucroalcooleiras ainda precisam anunciar suas propostas para o processamento doméstico de bioquerosene de aviação. Até agora, a maioria tem favorecido a exportação de etanol como matéria-prima para fabricantes de combustíveis em outros países, em vez construir plantas para converter etanol em SAF localmente. A baixa intensidade de carbono do etanol de cana-de-açúcar brasileiro o torna uma escolha natural para a produção de SAF.
O diretor de inteligência setorial da União da Indústria de Cana-de-Açúcar e Bioenergia (Unica), Luciano Rodrigues, acredita que o programa Combustível do Futuro — que, entre outras coisas, estabelece metas de emissões para o setor de aviação — poderá desencadear novos investimentos, após sua aprovação no Congresso.
"Ter um mandato de SAF significa maior segurança para o produtor que tem interesse em fazer o investimento, porque haveria uma demanda garantida para um determinado produto", disse Rodrigues à Argus nos bastidores do evento de lançamento da campanha "Vá com Etanol", da Unica, na semana passada.
Questionado sobre os pedidos por desonerações fiscais para que esses investimentos em alcohol-to-jet deslanchem no país, Rodrigues acredita que elas poderiam surgir "em um segundo momento" para que o Brasil, o principal fornecedor de matéria-prima, seja preferido pelos investidores.
"É inegável que o Brasil será o principal fornecedor porque temos matéria-prima com baixa intensidade de carbono em grande volume e que atende a todas as exigências ambientais", disse Rodrigues.
"Mas os Estados Unidos, com o Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) e os seus programas federais ou estaduais, abriram caminho para intensificar os investimentos na indústria de SAF", acrescentou.
Um grupo bipartidário de senadores de estados do cinturão agrícola norte-americano está defendendo um projeto de lei destinado a acelerar a produção de SAF no país, conhecido como "Farm to Fly Act" (Do Campo ao Voo, em tradução livre).
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Von der Leyen faces new Green Deal challenges
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Trump vows to target 'green' spending, EV rules
Trump vows to target 'green' spending, EV rules
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Q&A: Aviation may pull feeds away from marine: BV
Q&A: Aviation may pull feeds away from marine: BV
London, 19 July (Argus) — Biofuel feedstocks could be routed away from marine fuels to meet demand from the aviation sector if the latter is willing to pay higher prices associated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Bureau Veritas (BV) Marine & Offshore's global market leader for sustainable shipping Julien Boulland told Argus. Edited highlights follow: Marine biodiesel has been the largest alternative fuel uptake, with over 1mn t sold in Rotterdam and Singapore last year. But with Argus assessments showing premiums above $225/t to VLSFO dob ARA, how do you see marine biodiesel demand in the medium- to long-term? Shipowners and ship operators have to run an individual cost-analysis on whether the premiums could be offset by potential savings under EU emissions trading system (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime regulations, as well as any future regulations such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) economic pricing mechanism . In terms of emissions, biofuels still emit CO2 on a tank-to-wake basis, but less on a well-to-wake basis compared to their fossil equivalents. This will also vary depending on the feedstock for the biofuel as well as the production process. Under the current IMO regulations for energy efficiency, including the Ship Energy Management Plan (SEEMP) and its requirements for fuel reporting (DCS), there might be some indirect commercial benefits for owners, too. For example, a better CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) score may make a vessel more appealing to charterers and help its owner secure more favourable rates. There are also other factors to consider, such as Scope 3 emissions rights, which can influence demand, as we currently see from voluntary demand from cargo owners seeking those documents. But this will also have a geographic impact on demand, as larger container liner companies usually utilise the east-west route and they might prefer to opt for bunkering the marine biodiesel blend in Singapore due to lower prices. What are the risks associated with bunkering marine biodiesel in relation to conventional ship engines? How significant is the recent FOBAS report that implied a correlation between the use of "unidentified" biofuels and engine pump injector damage? We have supported our shipowner clients in numerous pilots to trial biofuels such as fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in variable blends. Overall, these trials have gone smoothly, but we have learned a few things along the way. Firstly, engines do not need to be modified, but since biofuels have slightly different physical properties, it is necessary to find the right engine adjustments. A very good knowledge of the fuel properties is key in determining the right adjustments, and the new revision of ISO 8217 on marine fuel specifications is crucial in supporting this process. Another key finding is the importance of receiving full information on fuel characteristics from the supplier. Finally, BV plays a key role in ensuring full fuel certification on several aspects, including sustainability and physical properties. Used cooking oil (UCO) can also feed into SAF and with potentially greater refining margins. Do you think some feedstocks will be pulled away from marine? When it comes to methanol, we believed marine would take up more of the feedstock compared with the chemicals industry due to greater willingness to pay larger premiums. But with biofuels, it seems to be the other way around where aviation could end up pulling biofuel feedstocks away from maritime. In terms of fuel consumption, the marine and aviation industries are comparable but if aviation are willing to pay more, then it will likely get more of the feedstocks required to produce SAF. What are the implications of the new ISO specifications, what are the key takeaways for marine biodiesel uptake? More has to be done, but now we have parameters for assessing biofuel blend specifications. It was very well accepted by the industry, and now operators and shipowners have a standard to rely on. But it doesn't resolve the question around feedstock cross-industry competition. However, it does also open the door for off-spec Fame residue blends to become ISO-certified — depending on further testing. With IMO aiming for "global regulations for a global market", how do you see conflicts between different regulations affecting the market? We are closely following the IMO development process for a global economic pricing mechanism. 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EU’s von der Leyen re-elected as Commission president
EU’s von der Leyen re-elected as Commission president
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