Grass Developed by Embrapa Gains Momentum as a Possible Source of Renewable Energy in Brazil

Written by Andriely Medeiros de Araújo

Published on 02/05/2025 at 18:31

Antes voltado à pecuária leiteira, capim desenvolvido pela Embrapa mostra potencial técnico e econômico para abastecer indústrias com energia renovável e transformar o cenário de bioenergia no país. Fonte: Embrapa.

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Previously Focused on Dairy Cattle, Grass Developed by Embrapa Shows Technical and Economic Potential to Supply Industries with Renewable Energy and Transform the Bioenergy Landscape in the Country.

The growing search for alternative sources of renewable energy has placed the BRS Capiaçu elephant grass, developed by Embrapa, at the center of studies and projects focused on clean energy generation in Brazil. Originally launched to meet the demand of the dairy cattle sector, the cultivar is now gaining new spaces as an energy input for large industries.

With an average production of 50 tons of dry matter per hectare per year, the plant shows a performance 30% higher than other cultivars on the market, which has drawn the attention of sectors such as the cement industry.

The high productivity, combined with low production costs, was decisive for a collaboration between Embrapa and the company Ciplan/AS, aimed at creating a theoretical model for the use of biomass in industrial furnaces.

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Embrapa’s Elephant Grass Can Replace Fossil Fuels in Cement Plants

One of the main attractions of BRS Capiaçu in the energy sector lies in its calorific potential. According to researcher Juarez Campolina Machado from Embrapa, the grass presents “competitive calorific power compared to fossil fuels, such as petroleum coke,” currently used on a large scale by cement plants.

This technical and economic viability was confirmed by Samuel Oliveira, another researcher from the institution. For him, the plant offers a concrete opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of industrial production, promoting a cleaner and more sustainable energy matrix.

Versatile Biomass for Biofuels and Biogas

In addition to use in blast furnaces, Embrapa has invested in studies on the use of elephant grass in other bioenergy fronts, such as the production of biogas, biomethane, and second-generation ethanol.

An example is the Biograss project, which tests the co-digestion of BRS Capiaçu with animal production waste. The initiative, in partnership with CNPq and the company Bioköhler, takes place in Toledo (PR) and seeks sustainable solutions for the use of biomass on an agro-industrial scale.

According to Machado, the cultivar stands out in this segment for its “short cycle and high yield of fibrous biomass,” making it ideal for energy processing.

Origin in Livestock: Embrapa’s Grass Continues to Stand Out in the Field

Although it has gained new applications, BRS Capiaçu retains its importance in the Brazilian dairy cattle landscape.

Since its launch, the cultivar has proven to be highly efficient for producing quality silage, with costs up to three times lower than alternatives like corn and sorghum, as explained by Antônio Vander Pereira, a researcher at Embrapa.

The high nutritional value, height exceeding four meters, and resistance to water stress and frost have solidified the plant as an ally for producers in all regions of the country.

However, cultivation requires special attention in areas prone to flooding, where the cultivar’s tolerance is reduced.

Producer Victor Ventura, from Santo Antônio do Aventureiro (MG), is one of many who have adopted elephant grass as a base for feeding dairy cows.

With 300 animals in the herd, he reports significant gains. “It was a turning point in my production system,” he states. According to him, in addition to improving productivity, the cultivar contributed to a significant reduction in feed costs.

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Holland

#132617

05/05/2025 19:49

Esqueceram de falar que nas fibras do capim tem Cl (cloro) e isso forma ácido clorídrico e corrói as tubulações da caldeira… Outra coisa, comparar biomassa X coque de petróleo é piada. A biomassa tem no máximo 2200 kcal x coque até 9000 kcal/kg.

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Marco

#132476

04/05/2025 22:14

Qual o poder calorífico do Pellets de Capiacu?

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Altemir Cardoso

#132451

04/05/2025 19:15

Muito bom mesmo, já tenho implantado aqui na minha chácara e várias vezes me tirou do aperto

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Grass Developed by Embrapa Gains Momentum as a Possible Source of Renewable Energy in Brazil

Previously Focused on Dairy Cattle, Grass Developed by Embrapa Shows Technical and Economic Potential to Supply Industries with Renewable Energy and Transform the Bioenergy Landscape in the Country.

Embrapa’s Elephant Grass Can Replace Fossil Fuels in Cement Plants

Versatile Biomass for Biofuels and Biogas

Origin in Livestock: Embrapa’s Grass Continues to Stand Out in the Field

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Grass Developed by Embrapa Gains Momentum as a Possible Source of Renewable Energy in Brazil

Previously Focused on Dairy Cattle, Grass Developed by Embrapa Shows Technical and Economic Potential to Supply Industries with Renewable Energy and Transform the Bioenergy Landscape in the Country.

Embrapa’s Elephant Grass Can Replace Fossil Fuels in Cement Plants

Versatile Biomass for Biofuels and Biogas

Origin in Livestock: Embrapa’s Grass Continues to Stand Out in the Field

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Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

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