The Discovery of “Green Pre-Salt”: The New Horizon of Biofuels and Energy in Brazil

Exploring Palm Oil Biomass: The Energy Potential of Brazil’s “Green Pre-Salt”

In the shift towards a more sustainable economy, Brazil presents a new perspective in the field of clean and renewable energy. During the 22nd LIDE Business Forum, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Milton Steagall, CEO of Grupo BBF (Brazil BioFuels), shed light on the country’s “green pre-salt” – a vast potential for the production of biofuels derived from palm oil biomass, cultivated in the Amazon region.

Palm Oil: A Biomass Giant in the Amazon Region

Steagall explained that every hectare planted with palm oil, with its 143 trees per hectare, is a huge repository of biomass ready to be transformed into biofuel. This serves as an efficient generator of clean and renewable electricity, especially in isolated areas of the Amazon. With the forecast of producing second-generation biofuels, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) starting in 2026, this energy source seems to be a promising solution for Brazil’s future.

According to Brazil’s strict environmental guidelines, it is currently possible to cultivate palm oil on 31 million hectares. Grupo BBF is a pioneer in this initiative, with plantations spread across 75,000 hectares in the states of Pará and Roraima.

“We built a solid legal framework to promote palm oil cultivation, culminating in the Agro-Environmental Zoning of Palm Oil in 2010. This legislation ensures that palm oil is cultivated only in degraded areas of the Amazon until December 2007, which represents 31 million hectares. If this area were fully utilized, we would have a second ‘pre-salt’ in Brazil,” declared Steagall.

Energy Transformation in the Amazon: A Solution for Isolated Areas

Steagall’s vision presents a viable solution for the isolated areas of the Amazon region, which currently have 212 locations outside the national energy system, primarily served by fossil fuel-driven thermoelectric plants.

Grupo BBF, currently with 38 thermoelectric plants and a total generating capacity of 238 MW, is helping to change this picture. At present, 25 plants are operational with a capacity to generate 86.8 MW, serving 140,000 people. This effort has allowed for a reduction of more than 106.4 million liters of fossil diesel in the Amazon per year, decreasing the emission of around 250,000 tons of carbon equivalent into the atmosphere.

The Uniqueness of the Brazilian Case in the Energy Transition

David Zylbersztajn, a professor at PUC-Rio and a panel member, emphasized that the energy transition in Brazil is marked by uniqueness. Only 25% of the country’s CO2 emissions come from the industrial and electric sectors, in contrast to 75% of global emissions. Brazil also stands out in the biofuel scenario, reinforcing the idea of a “green pre-salt.”

The panel “The Revival in Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives” also featured representatives from the government, energy industry, and academia, reiterating the importance of dialogue and cooperation for building a more sustainable energy future.