Geo, GIZ partner team up for biogas-to-SAF project Brazil
Geo bio gas&carbon and the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development have signed a partnership to develop the first plant in Brazil to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biogas.
The project, supported by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), aims to create a sustainable production model using biomass residues as a source of biogenic carbon.
The partnership with GIZ will involve investments of approximately €7.8m, including €1.5m from BMZ.
Geo has also partnered with Coopersucar to produce SAF as early as 2025 at a pilot plant unit in São Paulo. The expected commercial-scale production is 750 liters per day.
The partnership between Geo and GIZ will focus on establishing international cooperation, disseminating knowledge through professional training, and supporting the certification of the production chain. The goal is to share the plant’s experience with other companies and investors to replicate the project.
The agreement between Geo and GIZ was signed on the same day that the Brazilian government sanctioned the Fuel of the Future law, which introduces SAF into the Brazilian energy matrix. This law requires airline operators to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on domestic flights through the use of SAF, starting with a 1% reduction in 2027 and gradually increasing to 10% in 2037.
The partnership aligns with global efforts to decarbonize the aviation sector. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has set a target of a 2% annual improvement in fuel efficiency by 2050, and the European Union (EU) has set targets to reduce net emissions by at least 55% by 2030.