Billion-Dollar Project by Eike Batista Proposes Sugarcane Worth 10 Harvests, But Depends on BNDES to Get Out of the Greenhouse

Written by Maria Heloisa Barbosa Borges

Published on 06/08/2025 at 11:51

Ex-bilionário aposta em planta que pode render 600 milhões de litros por hectare em ciclo completo

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Ex-billionaire Claims That Transgenic Variety Could Revolutionize Ethanol and Replace Plastic on a Global Scale

The businessman Eike Batista has drawn attention again with a new ambitious plan: a genetically modified variety of sugarcane, capable of multiplying ethanol production and the industrial use of bagasse. In an interview with CNN Money (via Estadão/Broadcast+), Eike stated that he believes BNDES will seek him out to financially support the project, which he claims has the potential to turn Brazil into a global leader in bioproducts.

Batista maintains that the so-called “supercane” can triple ethanol production and increase the utilization of bagasse by up to 11 times, enabling everything from sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to biodegradable cups and straws. The proposal is part of his attempt at business rehabilitation following the collapse of his former empire in the oil, mining, and logistics sectors.

What Is Eike Batista’s “Supercane”?

According to Eike, the variety developed by his group is the result of two decades of research and development and would have a stable productivity of 180 tons per hectare for up to 10 years—more than double the current national average of 78 tons.

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The promise is that large-scale cultivation would allow Brazil to replace petroleum-derived products with renewable biomaterials, focusing on both the domestic market and green exports. The former billionaire sees Petrobras and BNDES as natural agents in this new cycle, but has not yet confirmed any formal investments.

What Is the Role of BNDES and Petrobras in This Plan?

Although he has not presented concrete discussions, Eike claims that BNDES’s support would be strategic, both to facilitate credit and attract external investors. He also sees Petrobras as a potential driving partner, especially if the state-owned company resumes investments in ethanol and bioenergy.

“Petrobras could start and then open up space for the private sector,” said the businessman, signaling the need for a coordinated effort between private initiative, agricultural research, and public policies.

Why Could This Impact Brazil?

If the project is confirmed in the announced format, it could profoundly alter the sugar-energy sector’s production chain and reduce Brazil’s dependence on fossil fuels and petroleum-derived plastics. It would also position Brazil strategically in the global energy transition.

However, the proposal encounters known challenges for Eike Batista: execution, scale, and credibility. After the collapse of his conglomerate last decade, many investors still view their bets with caution. The case of Porto do Açu, now under foreign control, is still remembered as a symbol of the businessman’s rise and fall.

Do you believe that the “supercane” can indeed transform Brazil in the next 20 years? Should BNDES invest in this project? Share your opinion in the comments; we want to hear from those who know the agro and industry from the inside.

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Gildo Viana

#157782

13/08/2025 13:45

Se eu tivesse grana, eu sem dúvida seria um investidor!

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Enéias Rodrigues Sirqueira

#157313

12/08/2025 07:35

Mais um golpe à vista. Cria-se uma ideia mirabolante, investem o mínimo possível e o restante sabe para onde vai. E o brasileiro só levando na radiola.

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Juarez Peres Gonçalves

#156153

08/08/2025 13:24

Acredito nessa idéia=projeto…. É MELHOR O BNDES investir no Brasil…. Do que emprestar DINHEIRO PARA QUEM NÃO PAGA(Bolívia,África,Uruguai,Venezuela…etc….)
SEM falar…. Que Eike Batista…. Não se dá pôr DERROTADO…. É um homem OBCECADO pôr projetos REVOLUCIONÁRIOS… que se bem ADMINISTRADOS….. COM CERTEZA DARÃO EX-CELENT ❗ RETORNO….

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Billion-Dollar Project by Eike Batista Proposes Sugarcane Worth 10 Harvests, But Depends on BNDES to Get Out of the Greenhouse

Ex-billionaire Claims That Transgenic Variety Could Revolutionize Ethanol and Replace Plastic on a Global Scale

What Is Eike Batista’s “Supercane”?

Major Oil, Gas, and Energy Event Will Take Place in Brazil: Macaé Energy Will Gather Petrobras, Equinor, Prio, Among Other Suppliers and Energy Executives for Business, Networking, and Employment Opportunities

What Is the Role of BNDES and Petrobras in This Plan?

Why Could This Impact Brazil?

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Billion-Dollar Project by Eike Batista Proposes Sugarcane Worth 10 Harvests, But Depends on BNDES to Get Out of the Greenhouse

Ex-billionaire Claims That Transgenic Variety Could Revolutionize Ethanol and Replace Plastic on a Global Scale

What Is Eike Batista’s “Supercane”?

Major Oil, Gas, and Energy Event Will Take Place in Brazil: Macaé Energy Will Gather Petrobras, Equinor, Prio, Among Other Suppliers and Energy Executives for Business, Networking, and Employment Opportunities

What Is the Role of BNDES and Petrobras in This Plan?

Why Could This Impact Brazil?

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Where there was only sand and wind at 40 degrees, China built a megacity of 500,000 inhabitants with farms, wineries, and universities in the middle of the desert using melted glacier water from hundreds of kilometers away.

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