Bio-syncrude-to-SAF pilot project launched in Brasil
The International Center for Renewable Energy (CIBiogás) and the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development inaugurated pilot plant to produce synthetic oil from biogas to be utilised in production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The project is being developed with an investment of €1.8m ($2bn) from from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ) through the H2Brasil Project. The pilot was launched on June 17th.
Located at the premises of Itaipu Binacional near the Parana river, world leader in electricity generation from clean and renewable energy sources which provides 15% of all electricity consumed in Brazil and 82% of Paraguay, will produce 6kg of syncrude per day which will be then be processed into SAF.
Moreover, the project will use 50 Nm³ per day of biogas as the key carbon feedstock and 53 Nm³ per day of green hydrogen from Itaipu Binacional’s biodigestion unit and Itaipu Technology Park respectively.
“We work together so that this first bio-syncrude plant in the country, located in Foz do Iguaçu, can economically enable a route for the production of green fuels from the valorisation of biogas, with an emphasis on the development of the power-to-x market in the state of Paraná,” said Markus Franke, director, H2Brasil project.
As part of the partnership between the Brazil-Germany Cooperation and CIBiogás, the two sides have also developed a dynamic map to identify areas with greater potential for SAF production in Paraná.
“This map highlights the most promising regions for the production of aviation biokerosene using biogas. The analysis reveals that the state has a potential production of 15,000 cubic meters per year of SAF from the biogas generated by the biogas plants in operation mapped in 2022”, explained the CEO of CIBiogás, Rafael Hernando de Aguiar Gonzalez.
“The bio-syncrude plant combines the biogas produced at Itaipu’s demonstration unit, which we have been operating since 2017, with PTI’s green hydrogen, which we have been operating for ten years, transforming it into a new fully renewable asset, aiming at the decarbonization of the transportation sector. With this, we reaffirm its commitment to sustainability and innovation, contributing to the Brazilian energy transition,” said Enio Verri, general director, Itaipu Binacional.