Companies test alternative energy sources, from palm oil to ammonia

Palm oil, macaúba, bamboo and even ammonia are some of the raw materials that have been developed as alternative raw materials to provide clean energy.

The BBF Group (Brazil BioFuels) is betting on palm oil – also known as palm oil, used in Bahian cuisine – as the main raw material for the production of biofuels to replace fossil diesel.

The focus is on the production of green diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (known by its acronym in English, SAF). The group is investing R$2.2 billion in a biorefinery to produce the two fuels in Manaus. The operation is expected to begin in 2026.

Jet fuel produced with palm oil will be supplied to Vibra Energia (formerly BR Distribuidora). The new plant will have the capacity to produce around 500 million liters per year of SAF and green diesel.

Palm oil is “green pre-salt”, says BBF CEO

In addition to cooking, palm oil is used in the cosmetics and hygiene industries. Brazil produces 2% of the palm oil on the world market. Around 95% of production – around 90 million tons per year – is concentrated in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Milton Steagall, CEO of BBF, considers palm oil a “green pre-salt” due to its potential for expansion in Brazil. The BBF Group cultivates the plant on 75 thousand hectares in the Amazon Rainforest between the states of Pará and Roraima.

“With the 31 million hectares available [no Brasil]we have the opportunity to generate 1.1 billion barrels of palm oil per year, to be used in the development of biofuel to serve the aviation sector”, says Steagall. “This is more than is extracted by Petrobras in our pre- salt, that’s why I say that we have a true ‘green pre-salt’ in our country.”

Acelen bets on macaúba productivity

The energy company Acelen invests in the cloning of superior species of macaúba, a plant with a high energy content, to develop renewable fuels. The first phase of the project has already begun. It is in partnership with MulticanaPlus, a company specialized in research and development of plant micropropagation protocols and cloning of elite macaúba plants.

The objective is to create genetically identical copies of plants with desired characteristics, such as resistance to stress and high productive potential. Cloning the species that give the highest return is a way of being more assertive in your bet.

“Macaúba is a Brazilian plant with high oil productivity per hectare, very competitive in relation to other crops, offering greater efficiency in the use of water and nutrients, supporting the conservation and recovery of the local biome”, says Marcelo Cordaro, vice-president of new business at Acelen.

With an investment of R$12 billion over the next 10 years, Acelen will plant macaúba and palm oil on 200 thousand hectares, focusing on degraded areas. With this, it plans to produce 1 billion liters of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation kerosene per year.

Econew tests bamboo as a source of biomass

Econew, in partnership with the University of Viçosa and the Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (Embrapii), began planting five species of bamboo in August 2022 to analyze which would best develop as a source of biomass.

The CEO of Econew, Leonardo Simões Zica, explains that bamboo is not an energy matrix, but an alternative raw material in the production of biomass, charcoal briquettes and biochar, which are “green” substitutes for mineral coal.

Coal has several applications, in areas such as agriculture, sanitation and construction and in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and textile industries. Bamboo biomass has been used on a larger scale in Asian countries such as India and China. In Brazil, there are some initiatives in the Center-West.

According to Zica, bamboo is more sustainable than eucalyptus, adapts well to the tropical climate and is more efficient in accumulating carbon, helping in the decarbonization process.

“Bamboo has a high capacity for regrowth when cut, as its life cycle is 50 to 70 years, with cuts every two or three years. Furthermore, unlike eucalyptus, which is grown in a monoculture system, it can be planted in degraded areas, such as reforestation, and combined with other crops”, adds Zica.

The Econew project is still in the planting phase and the first tests with bamboo biochar should take place in two years.

Vale studies ammonia as fuel for locomotives

Another alternative source on companies’ radar is ammonia. Vale will test it as fuel for locomotives. In July, the mining company announced a partnership with Wabtec Corporation to develop an ammonia engine that does not emit carbon dioxide.

The idea is that, in the future, the locomotives used on the Carajás Railway (EFC), currently powered by diesel, can be fueled with ammonia, providing clean operation on the stretch.

Vehicle tests have not yet been carried out. The first studies will be carried out in the laboratory, to evaluate performance, reduction of emissions and viability of ammonia as a fuel.