Corn Ethanol Takes Center Stage in 2025! Material to Be Used in the Production of Renewable Fuels Based on Research Conducted by the National Center for Energy and Materials Research (CNPEM)

Written by Andriely Medeiros de Araújo

Published on 08/02/2025 at 10:58

Fonte: imagem gerada por IA

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The Discovery of CNPEM Gives New Use to Corn Ethanol and Generates Strong Impact in Renewable Fuels and Sustainable Development Areas.

The National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) has revealed a groundbreaking discovery that could transform the renewable fuels sector in Brazil and worldwide. A study conducted in Campinas, São Paulo, showed how the residual oil from corn ethanol distillation (DCO) can be converted into sustainable fuels, such as bio-jet fuel 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.

Transformation of By-Products Is a Revolution in the Renewable Fuels Sector

The research, published in the renowned scientific journal Nature Communications, was conducted by the National Laboratory of Bio-renewables (LNBR) of CNPEM and identified a natural enzyme capable of transforming the distillation oil from corn ethanol into hydrocarbons.

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The 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 significant challenge of the research was to find an enzyme capable of efficiently handling raw materials and industrial by-products.

The team not only found this enzyme but also fully elucidated its mode of action. The enzyme’s ability to withstand high temperatures and act directly on DCO represents a great advantage for the industrial application of this technology.

The research revealed the atomic structure of the enzyme through protein crystallography, conducted at Sirius, CNPEM’s 4th generation particle accelerator — one of three in operation worldwide.

This achievement allowed for 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 Economy

Brazil, which is already a global leader in ethanol production, has a new opportunity to strengthen its renewable fuels industry with the discovery from CNPEM. In 2023, the country produced 145,700 tons of DCO in its corn ethanol industries, an amount that can be utilized for fuel production.

Globally, it is estimated that DCO production will reach 4.3 million tons per year, opening up a promising market for the technology developed in Campinas. Moreover, this innovation has a direct impact on sustainable development.

Corn ethanol is primarily produced in the Central-West and Southeast regions of Brazil, where corn is grown between soybean harvests, without the need to open new agricultural areas.

This means that transforming DCO into renewable fuels, such as bio-jet fuel and green diesel, contributes to a more efficient and sustainable production chain.

“CNPEM has been betting on solutions that promote sustainability more broadly, going beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and including issues related to the responsible use of natural resources and maintaining ecosystem balance,” says Eduardo Couto, director of LNBR.

With the application of 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 from TN Petróleo.

Corn Ethanol Takes Center Stage in 2025! Material to Be Used in the Production of Renewable Fuels Based on Research Conducted by the National Center for Energy and Materials Research (CNPEM)

The Discovery of CNPEM Gives New Use to Corn Ethanol and Generates Strong Impact in Renewable Fuels and Sustainable Development Areas.

Transformation of By-Products Is a Revolution in the Renewable Fuels Sector

The Scientific Innovation in the Use of Enzymes for Sustainable Fuels

The Impact of Corn Ethanol on Sustainability and Economy

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Corn Ethanol Takes Center Stage in 2025! Material to Be Used in the Production of Renewable Fuels Based on Research Conducted by the National Center for Energy and Materials Research (CNPEM)

The Discovery of CNPEM Gives New Use to Corn Ethanol and Generates Strong Impact in Renewable Fuels and Sustainable Development Areas.

Transformation of By-Products Is a Revolution in the Renewable Fuels Sector

The Scientific Innovation in the Use of Enzymes for Sustainable Fuels

The Impact of Corn Ethanol on Sustainability and Economy

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Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

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.

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

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