Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Historic Financing Drives Acelen to Explore New Frontiers with Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production in Minas Gerais and Bahia
The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has just taken a monumental step by approving financing of R$ 258 million for Acelen, which will be used to create a technological innovation center focused on the development of renewable diesel production. This unit, known as Acelen Agripark, promises to revolutionize research and development of the macaúba culture, a native Brazilian plant with extremely high energy potential.
With this financial support, Acelen is launching an ambitious project that not only aims for renewable diesel production, but also places Brazil at the forefront of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, the fuel of the future.
Acelen Will Open Center for Renewable Diesel Production
The innovation center will be located in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, and will be responsible for the research necessary for the company’s fuel biorefinery success. But that’s just the beginning! We are talking about a total investment of US$ 2.7 billion that promises to completely change the game.
-
Dongfang breaks world record and manufactures 26 MW wind turbine in China with 137-meter blades that spin so slowly they appear stationary on the horizon.
-
System that promises to store energy in hills, using a fluid denser than water, reaches full power in the UK and can transform former industrial areas into smaller hydroelectric batteries, quick to build and focused on clean energy.
-
As Europe tries to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, a plant in Spain begins producing renewable natural gas with green hydrogen and CO₂, injecting synthetic methane directly into the distribution network.
-
China installs the world’s largest floating wind turbine offshore with a 252-meter rotor and a swept area equivalent to 7 football fields.
Innovation in Brazil
This project is innovative in many ways. To start, Acelen will transform degraded land into productive areas, using macaúba cultivation to produce 20,000 barrels of renewable fuel per day. The center’s capacity will impress: 1.7 million germinated seeds per month and 10.5 million seedlings per year! There is also a forecast to capture 60 million tons of CO2 equivalent, directly contributing to the fight against climate change.
20% of Production Will Come from Family Farming
Acelen doesn’t stop there. The strategy includes cultivating 180,000 hectares in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, with a highly relevant differential: 20% of the production will come from family farming, benefiting over 10,000 families. This is the type of development that impacts not just the environment but also the lives of thousands of Brazilians.
Brazil as a Major Producer of Sustainable Fuel
“With this initiative, Brazil takes an important step towards becoming a major producer of sustainable aviation fuel and a leader in the climate transition”, said Luciana Costa, director of Infrastructure, Energy Transition and Climate Change at BNDES. The bank sees this project as essential not only for renewable fuel production but also for the social and technological development of the country. All cultivation will be carried out on degraded land since 2007, a true example of sustainability in action.
The BNDES, through this financing, demonstrates its commitment to Brazil’s energy transition, in addition to highlighting the importance of initiatives with social, environmental, and technological impact. Acelen, in turn, emerges as one of the main companies leading this transformation, bringing innovation and sustainability in an integrated manner.
Now, the question remains: how can this project impact Brazil’s future in the global renewable fuels market?
Be the first to react!