Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil – The International Center for Renewable Energy (CIBiogás) and the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development, through the H2Brasil project, have inaugurated Brazil’s first pilot plant dedicated to producing synthetic oil from biogas. This plant, located at Itaipu Binational, is set to focus on the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
With an investment of €1.8 million from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Renewable Hydrocarbons Production Unit will produce 6 kg/day of bio-syncrude—a mixture of hydrocarbons synthesized from biogas and green hydrogen, intended for SAF production.
The pilot plant utilizes up to 50 Nm³/day of biogas produced at Itaipu Binational’s biodigestion unit as the main carbon source for hydrocarbon production. Additionally, 53 Nm³/day of green hydrogen produced by the Itaipu Technology Park (PTI) is used.
“This project is a result of the partnership between Brazil and Germany, aiming at sustainable development and energy transition,” said Markus Francke, Director of the H2Brasil project. “We are working together to economically enable green fuel production routes, focusing on developing the Power-to-X market in Paraná.”
How It Works
The bio-syncrude produced at the pilot plant will be sent to the Laboratory of Kinetics and Applied Thermodynamics (LACTA) at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Curitiba for characterization and refining to obtain sustainable aviation fuel fractions. Additionally, the Laboratory of Materials and Renewable Energies (Labmater) at UFPR in Palotina has conducted studies on the dry reforming process of biogas and developed the catalysts used in the pilot plant.
“The bio-syncrude plant combines biogas produced at Itaipu’s demonstration unit with green hydrogen from PTI, transforming it into a new, fully renewable asset aimed at decarbonizing the transportation sector,” said Enio Verri, Brazilian Director-General of Itaipu Binational.
“This initiative demonstrates the importance of innovation ecosystems like the one in western Paraná in developing Brazil’s energy sector,” said Irineu Colombo, Superintendent Director of PTI. “Projects like this one show the vital role of distributed generation, microgrids, bioenergy consortia, biomethane, and hydrogen production in our region.”
Regional and National Impact
The investments align with the Brazilian Federal Government’s efforts toward energy transition. As the world’s largest producer of clean and renewable energy, Itaipu Binational plays a crucial role in Brazil’s strategic energy and technological development objectives.
Enio Verri, Brazilian Director-General of Itaipu Binational, emphasized the significance of this project: “The bio-syncrude plant combines biogas produced at Itaipu’s demonstration unit with green hydrogen from PTI, transforming it into a new, fully renewable asset aimed at decarbonizing the transportation sector. This reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and innovation, contributing to Brazil’s energy transition.”
Future Prospects
Under the Brazil-Germany partnership, a dynamic map has been created to identify areas with the highest SAF production potential in Paraná. “This map highlights the most promising regions for producing aviation bio-kerosene from biogas,” explained Rafael Hernando de Aguiar Gonzalez, President of CIBiogás. “The analysis shows Paraná has the potential to produce 15,000 cubic meters of SAF annually from biogas generated by operational plants mapped in 2022.”
The project, supported by Fundação Araucária, also received financial contributions through the Paraná Hydrocarbons Research and Innovation Arrangement (NAPI HCR), promoting the modernization and advancement of the bioenergy sector in Paraná.
Global Commitment to Decarbonization
In alignment with the Paris Agreement’s climate goals, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) was established in 2016. This program aims to create market mechanisms to complement the aviation sector’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limiting future emission increases. Sustainable aviation fuels, derived from various technological routes and raw materials such as oilseeds, ethanol, and biogas, play a crucial role in this endeavor.
