Brazil’s Raizen gets certification for ethanol-based SAF
SAO PAULO, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Brazilian energy company Raizen RAIZ4.SA said on Monday it had become the world’s first ethanol producer certified to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), key in the airline industry’s search to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Raizen, a joint venture between Cosan CSAN3.SA and Shell SHEL.L, said in a statement it had received an international certification for the fuel, which will be produced at its Piracicaba plant.
“The ISCC CORSIA Plus certification issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) proves that the ethanol produced in Piracicaba complies with international requirements to produce SAF,” Raizen said.
Brazil, a global leader in biofuels such as ethanol and soy oil-derived biodiesel, is seen by the air transportation sector as a potential major player in SAF, which is made from feedstocks such as used vegetable oils or crop residues.
Securing enough SAF supply is the aviation industry’s biggest challenge in its push for net-zero emissions, as traditional jet fuel is a major polluter and sustainable alternatives remain costly and in scarce supply.
The global aviation sector has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 through a combination of the use of sustainable fuel, new technology and carbon offsets.
According to ICAO, its certification aims to ensure that SAF is produced in accordance with sustainability requirements such as traceability of material through the supply chain and verified reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Raizen did not detail how much SAF it expects to produce in Piracicaba.
The company last year reached a partnership with Embraer EMBR3.SA to drive SAF production and help the Brazilian planemaker, the world’s third-largest, meet its goal of zeroing the carbon footprint of its operations by 2040.
Stimulating SAF output is also part of a key biofuel bill Brazil’s government expects Congress to approve within the next 100 days.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
((Gabriel.Araujo2@thomsonreuters.com; +55 11 5047-3352;))
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