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The truck powered by biomethane is part of the Biorrota, a project that transports sugar from the plant to the Port of Santos using gas produced from sugarcane vinasse. The operation includes nine axles, 74 tons, up to 700 km of autonomy, less noise, and aims to reduce emissions in Brazilian heavy logistics.
The gas truck powered by biomethane joined the sugar route to the Port of Santos during the presentation of the Biorrota project, an initiative linked to Coperçúcar and transport companies operating between plants and the sugar terminal. The operation showcases a heavy model, 6×4, with nine axles and a capacity of 74 tons.
With information from the channel Planeta Caminhão, the project was presented at the Coperçúcar sugar terminal, at the Port of Santos, on a route used to transport commodity sugar from the plants to export. The proposal is to use biomethane produced from sugarcane residues, such as vinasse and filter cake, to fuel heavy trucks that previously relied mainly on diesel.
Biorrota transports sugar from the plant to the Port of Santos
The Biorrota was created to connect the production of the plants to the Port of Santos using trucks powered by biomethane. The route involves the transport of sugar in road dump trucks, a heavy operation that requires strength, autonomy, and the ability to handle roads, high loads, and mixed-use stretches.
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The central point is that the fuel is born within the sugarcane cycle itself. Vinasse, a residue generated in the plant process, undergoes biodigestion and releases gas. Afterwards, the remaining material can return to the sugarcane field as a source of potassium, maintaining its agricultural function.
This logic creates a link between rural production, transport, and export. Instead of treating the residue merely as a byproduct, the plant transforms part of it into energy to power the fleet that carries the sugar to the port.
The model draws attention because it is not limited to a light or urban operation. The truck is being used in a nine-axle application, with 74 tons, precisely on one of the country’s most demanding logistical routes.
Gas truck reaches heavy nine-axle operations
For a long time, gas trucks were associated with urban operations, deliveries, collection, and less severe applications. Now, the advancement to 6×4 models and nine-axle sets shows an attempt to bring this technology to heavier loads.
The truck mentioned in the project has 460 horsepower and 2,300 Nm of torque, numbers close to diesel models in the same power range. The difference lies in how the engine delivers power, as the gas cycle behaves differently from diesel.
To compensate for this characteristic, the transmission was adjusted. The first gears are more reduced, with a heavy ratio to give a sense of power at the start, while the final gears are elongated to maintain a lower rev on the road.
This adjustment is important because the driver needs to feel confident when starting loaded, facing mixed stretches, and operating with a heavy composition. In sugar transport, any performance loss can affect deadlines, consumption, and safety.
Biomethane comes from vinasse and filter cake
The biomethane used in the Biopath comes from sugarcane process residues. Vinasse, previously applied directly to the cane field as fertilizer for being rich in potassium, goes through biodigesters capable of capturing gas without eliminating its agricultural function.
The plant gains an intermediate stage in the production cycle. First, it extracts energy from the residue. Then, it returns the treated material to the field, maintaining the potassium utilization in fertilization.
When it is not harvest time, the process can also use filter cake, another residue generated in the sugarcane industry. This helps maintain biomethane production throughout the year, reducing dependence on a single raw material.
In practice, the truck starts to be fueled by a fuel linked to the very chain it serves. Sugarcane generates sugar, the residue generates gas, the gas moves the transport, and the cargo goes for export.
Autonomy can reach 700 km with extra tanks
The original autonomy of the gas truck is reported to be around 450 km. With extra tanks installed behind the cabin, this capacity can reach up to 700 km, expanding the operation range on road routes.
This point is decisive for heavy transport. Without sufficient autonomy, the truck is stuck on short routes or depends on a very close refueling network. By reaching up to 700 km, the model starts to compete in longer and more complex operations.
Even so, the refueling infrastructure remains a strategic factor. For biomethane to work on a large scale, production, compression, storage, refueling points, and fleet planning need to be aligned.
That’s why Biorrota functions as an ecosystem. It’s not enough to just buy the truck. The plant, transport companies, route, and fuel need to communicate with each other for the operation to be viable.
Lower noise and absence of Arla included in the package
Besides the potential reduction in emissions, the gas truck has other operational differences. According to the presentation, the model is about 25% quieter, a significant gain for drivers, urban areas, terminals, and continuous operations.
The vehicle also does not use Arla, because it does not rely on the same post-treatment system applied to diesel engines. This simplifies part of the operation and eliminates a common concern in diesel-powered fleets.
Another point mentioned is the absence of particulates like those associated with diesel. In urban applications, this characteristic has already motivated greater adoption of gas trucks in collection and distribution operations.
In the case of sugar, the highlight is bringing these advantages to a heavier scenario. The route to the Port of Santos requires strength, braking, stability, and safety, especially in sections like the descent of the Serra de Santos.
Safety on the descent of the mountain requires retarder
A 74-ton truck descending the Serra de Santos needs control. Since the gas engine does not have the same engine brake behavior as diesel, the model comes equipped with a retarder in the gearbox.
The retarder helps compensate for the difference in the engine cycle, offering more safety on long, heavy descents. In a port operation, this detail is essential to preserve brakes, reduce risk, and maintain control of the set.
This configuration shows that the project does not depend solely on the fuel. To work well, the truck needs an engine, gearbox, auxiliary brake, tanks, and route planning suitable for the load.
Therefore, the comparison with diesel is not simple. The gas truck may have similar torque and lower noise, but it requires specific engineering to deliver a reliable experience to the driver in severe operation.
Heavy transport begins to test another path
The entry of the biogas-powered truck fueled by biomethane on the sugar route shows that the decarbonization of heavy transport can involve solutions linked to the production sector itself. In the case of sugarcane, the residue becomes fuel and supplies part of the logistics.
This does not mean that diesel will quickly disappear from the roads. But it indicates that some closed routes, with predictable origin, destination, and refueling, may be more favorable to biomethane.
The Bioroute also reveals a change in scale. What previously seemed restricted to urban trucks now reaches compositions of nine axles, 74 tons, and heavy road applications.
If the model proves economic viability, autonomy, and operational availability, it may open space for other production chains to use local residues as an energy source for transport.
When sugarcane residue becomes logistics fuel
The biomethane-powered truck on the sugar route to the Port of Santos shows an attempt to close the cycle between farming, industry, and transport. Sugarcane generates the exported sugar but also provides residues capable of fueling the fleet that takes the cargo to the terminal.
The strength of the project lies in transforming a byproduct into part of the logistics operation. With nine axles, 74 tons, lower noise, and extended autonomy, the model tries to prove that gas can enter heavy applications without being limited to urban transport.
The question now is whether this solution can scale up in other Brazilian routes or if it will remain concentrated in specific operations, where there is a plant, biomethane production, and constant demand for transport.
Do you believe that biomethane trucks can compete with diesel on heavy routes like the sugar route to the Port of Santos, or do you still see this technology as a niche solution? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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