Companies adopt recycled vegetable oil, improving operational safety and reducing environmental impact in innovative projects.
Companies from different sectors have invested heavily in the use of vegetable oil in sustainable processes, contributing to environmental preservation. The responsible use of vegetable oil in innovative initiatives is transforming the way they deal with operational safety, in addition to providing notable benefits to the ecosystem. These actions are aligned with a growing commitment to waste reduction and protection of the environment.
Recycling vegetable oil is one of the most promising processes in this trajectory. Many companies are adopting the recycled vegetable oil, contributing significantly to reducing environmental impact and promoting a virtuous cycle of reuse. These initiatives with vegetable oil stand out for offering an ecological and efficient alternative, driving a new sustainability model that is essential for the future. Innovation in these practices makes a real difference in the preservation of natural resources.
Innovative Use of Vegetable Oil at Itaipu
In the state of Paraná, the famous Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric plant has begun an ambitious project using recycled vegetable oil in a series of innovative initiatives, including its application in the company's first power transformer. This new approach has the great advantage of not only significantly reducing the environmental impacts associated with used oil, but also substantially expanding the operational security. In practice, the transformer has a power capacity of 10 MVA, being essential for supplying several crucial areas of the plant, such as the warehouses and the renowned Systems Integration and Training Center (CINTESC).
- Trackfy Innovates with New Testing Laboratory at Bahia Technology Park
- Discover how Brazil can break its dependence on China and lead the green hydrogen revolution with electrolyzer technologies!
- Gerdau Graphene Revolutionizes with Sustainable Packaging Enriched with Graphene and Wins Award
- Innovation and Sustainability: MTR BESS's Energy Revolution in Agribusiness
The Global Trend of Recycled Vegetable Oil
According to Vitor Dalcin, director of Ambiental Santos, there is a clear global trend underway to reuse used oil, which is already a consolidated practice in many private companies and is beginning to gain traction among state-owned companies. Dalcin comments: 'Perceptions about used oil previously oscillated between seeing it as a pollutant or as a raw material in industry, but currently it is seen as essential in the modernization of large public structures. This demonstrates the importance of correctly disposing of vegetable oil, reusing it and bringing benefits to society.'
Sustainability and Technical Efficiency
In this path of modernizing public systems with a sustainable approach, the choice to use recycled vegetable oil emerged as one of the most effective options, especially considering the technical efficiency it provides and the huge volume of used vegetable oil produced daily in all regions of Brazil. Used oil of vegetable origin contributes to operational safety due to its high flash point compared to mineral oil; in addition, it is biodegradable, which significantly minimizes risks to the environment.
Exploring New Applications
'The issue of safety is undeniable', stresses Dalcin, since mineral oil, still widely used, is derived from petroleum and is therefore more flammable and poses additional complexity in disposal due to its fossil origin. The replacement of transformers using mineral oil with those using vegetable oil is expected to gain even more momentum in the coming years within Itaipu's Technological Update Plan. The company has plans to expand the application of this technology to other auxiliary transformers and service regulators at the plant itself.
Futuristic and Sustainable Papers
The transition that is being promoted is vital not only to achieve greater efficiency in daily operations, but also to remove used vegetable oil from circulation, which, if not managed correctly, can cause damage to the environment, especially affecting water resources such as rivers, lakes and groundwater, as Dalcin concludes. With this attitude, Itaipu Binacional illustrates a leadership role in the sustainable use of vegetable oil, reinforcing the environmental safety and operational in its operational techniques.
Source: © SANTOS ENVIRONMENTAL Press