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With Two New Projects — A Solar Power Plant and Another of Biogas — Cocal Reinforces Its Diversification Strategy Beyond Sugarcane and Positions Itself as a Reference in Renewable Gas Production in Brazil.
Cocal, one of the partners of Copersucar and a reference in the sugar-energy sector, is intensifying its investment in renewable energy with robust investments and new initiatives aimed at sustainability. The company allocated R$ 241 million to the construction of two plants: one solar, already in operation since April, and one biogas plant, which will be inaugurated in July in Paraguaçu Paulista (SP). This movement marks a strategic repositioning aimed at expanding its presence in markets beyond the traditional production from sugarcane.
Biogas Is the New Strategic Bet for the Energy Future
The biggest highlight among the new projects is the biogas plant, which will operate from the purification of biogas generated from industrial waste from the sugarcane mill itself, such as vinasse and filter cake.
The new unit will be an extension of the existing biogas plant and will have the capacity to produce up to 60 thousand cubic meters of biogas per day, replacing fossil fuels in various industrial and logistical applications.
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The investment of R$ 216 million was fully funded with resources from the Climate Fund of BNDES, and the purification technology used is provided by Geo bio gas&carbon, which holds a 5% minority stake in the project.
New Regulation Stimulates the Market
Cocal’s production comes at a crucial time, with the sector preparing for the implementation of the new regulatory framework for biogas, expected in 2026, which requires producers and importers of natural gas to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 1%.
Cocal participated in the public call organized by Petrobras at the beginning of the year, presenting proposals for biogas supply between 2026 and 2029, ahead of the legal framework.
“We were one of the few players that made an offer for 2026,” said André Gustavo Alves da Silva, commercial director of new products at the company.
Although the details of the offer have not been disclosed, the company also presented proposals with the green attribute of biogas — a characteristic that allows the environmental value of the fuel to be negotiated separately from the molecule, making it even more attractive for the regulated market.
Cocal Fleet Already Uses Biogas in Operations
The experience with biogas is not new for the company. In its first plant, located in Narandiba (SP), the renewable gas is already used to supply 35 agricultural equipment, directly contributing to the replacement of fossil diesel.
The change represents an annual savings of about 2 million liters of diesel, from a total consumption of 30 million per year.
Despite the success, the use still faces limitations, mainly due to logistical challenges for field supply and operational safety requirements.
To overcome these barriers, Cocal maintains a partnership with manufacturer MWM to adapt diesel engines for the use of ethanol, expanding sustainable alternatives within its fleet.
Expanding Market and Multiple Destinations for Biogas
Even without relying exclusively on the legal framework to guarantee sales, Cocal believes that the demand for biogas is already greater than the current supply in the Brazilian market.
“The market is much more demanding than supplying,” reinforces Silva.
In addition to use in its own fleet, biogas can be directed to the industry or supplied to local consumers as conventional natural gas, especially when marketed without its environmental attribute, which can be negotiated separately.
SAF from Biogas: Innovation for the Aviation Sector
Another project under study involving Cocal is the possibility of integrating its biogas production with a future sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant, a technology that represents one of the most promising ways to decarbonize the global aviation sector.
The proposal, still in the initial stage, is developed through a joint venture between Copersucar and Geo bio gas&carbon, with plans to use the Fischer–Tropsch process, which converts gases into liquids. Cocal, as the only associated mill of Copersucar with active biogas production, emerges as a natural candidate to enable this initiative.
“The difficulty is converting European technology into national technology,” said the executive, highlighting the technical challenges of adapting the process to Brazilian conditions.
Diversification Beyond Sugarcane
The new phase of Cocal represents a clear move towards energy diversification. Between 2017 and 2022, the company focused its efforts on extracting the maximum from sugarcane, including the development of yeasts, biogas, and industrial CO₂.
Now, the focus expands to integrate this ecosystem with other clean sources, such as solar energy and renewable gas.
With these actions, the company demonstrates that its vision is directed toward the future of energy, anchored in sustainable practices, national technologies, and solutions that meet environmental and market requirements.
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