Brazil FS Bioenergia to install carbon capture system

Brazilian corn ethanol pioneer FS Bioenergia is installing a R250mn ($50mn) carbon capture and storage system to its biofuel plant in Lucas do Rio Verde in pursuit of more Cbio carbon credits.

The company says it plans to make its plant carbon negative by capturing CO2 produced by its corn ethanol mill, compressing it and injecting it underground at a nearby site.

The company is conducting geological surveys of areas within 5km (3.1mi) of the corn ethanol plant.

The project will be one of 18 carbon-capture systems used worldwide by firms in the bioenergy sector, FS Bioenergia said. The system will help the company reach its goal of issuing up to 32mn Cbio carbon credits for its biofuels production by 2030.

The Cbio carbon credit system is the cornerstone of Brazil's Renovabio biofuels law that requires fuel distributors to purchase Cbios from biofuel producers to offset the environmental costs of selling fossil fuels. Cbios are incentives to biofuel producers to expand production capacity and improve their operations' efficiency. Cbios ranged in price from R15-R65 during 2020, the first year of their issuance.

FS Bioenergia's Lucas do Rio Verde plant in Mato Grosso state was Brazil's first 100pc corn ethanol plant. It started operations in 2017 and has capacity of 500mn l/yr (8,616 b/d) of ethanol. FS Bioenergia inaugurated its second corn ethanol plant in Sorriso, Mato Grosso in February with capacity of 850mn l/yr.