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The CNPEM discovery gives new use to corn ethanol and generates a strong impact in the areas of renewable fuels and sustainable development.
The National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) has revealed a revolutionary discovery that could transform the energy sector. renewable fuels in Brazil and worldwide. A study conducted in Campinas, São Paulo, showed how residual oil from the distillation of corn ethanol (DCO) can be converted into sustainable fuels, such as biokerosene for aviation and green diesel.
The technology developed by CNPEM promises not only to boost the corn ethanol industry, but also to strengthen the commitment to sustainability and innovation in Brazil.
By-product transformation is a revolution in the renewable fuels sector
The research, published in the renowned scientific journal Nature Communications., was conducted by the National Biorenewables Laboratory (LNBR) of CNPEM and identified a natural enzyme capable of transforming corn ethanol distillation oil into hydrocarbons.
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These compounds are very similar to those produced in oil refineries and can be used in the manufacture of renewable fuels such as biokerosene and green diesel, as well as plastics and cosmetics.
The discovery is considered a milestone for the advanced fuels industry, as DCO, currently underutilized, can now be efficiently used in the production of fuels and other industrial products.
The enzyme identified in the study has an important difference: it can act on raw materials with a high content of free fatty acids, such as DCO, and its action allows the decarboxylation of the oil, removing oxygen from the fatty acids and transforming them into molecules with characteristics similar to products refined from petroleum.
Scientific innovation in the use of enzymes for sustainable fuels
According to researcher Letícia Zanphorlin, from CNPEM, one of the main leaders of the study, the great challenge of the research was to find an enzyme capable of dealing with raw materials and industrial co-products efficiently.
The team not only found this enzyme, but also fully elucidated its mode of action. The ability of the enzyme to withstand high temperatures and act directly on DCO represents a major advantage for the industrial application of this technology.
The research revealed the atomic structure of the enzyme through protein crystallography, carried out at Sirius, CNPEM's 4th generation particle accelerator — one of three in operation in the world.
This achievement allowed a deeper understanding of how this enzyme can be applied to transform corn oil into renewable fuels.
The impact of corn ethanol on sustainability and the economy
Brazil, already a world leader in ethanol production, has a new opportunity to strengthen its renewable fuels industry with the discovery of CNPEM. In 2023, the country produced 145.700 tons of DCO in corn ethanol industries, an amount that can be used for fuel production.
Globally, DCO production is estimated to reach 4,3 million tons per year, opening a promising market for the technology developed in Campinas. Furthermore, this innovation has a direct impact on sustainable development.
Corn ethanol is produced mainly in the Central-West and Southeast regions of Brazil, where corn is grown between soybean crops, without the need to open new agricultural areas.
This means that transforming DCO into renewable fuels, such as biokerosene and green diesel, contributes to a more efficient and sustainable production chain.
“CNPEM has invested in solutions that value sustainability in a broader way, going beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions and including issues related to the responsible use of natural resources and maintaining the balance of ecosystems,” says Eduardo Couto, director of LNBR.
By applying this technology, Brazil can not only increase the competitiveness of the renewable fuels sector, but also promote circularity in the corn production chain.
With information TN Petroleum.
