New plant will produce biogas from sugarcane by-products

A new joint venture between Raízen and Geo Energética will create ‘the world’s first’ commercial scale plant to use the sugar cane by-products vinasse and filter cake as feedstocks in biogas production and power generation, according to a statement from the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Geo Energética claims to currently be the only company to use filter cake and sugarcane vinasse for biogas generation and power generation, at its 4MW demonstration plant. 

For the new joint venture Raízen will take an 85% state, and Geo Energética 15%.

"With this initiative, Raízen reinforces its pioneering efforts in innovation and industry development with a focus on clean and renewable energy, in line with public policies, such as the RenovaBio,” said João Alberto Abreu, executive vice president of Raízen's Ethanol, Sugar and Energy area.

“With this, we once again consolidate our role as protagonists of sustainability through circular economy, taking advantage of all the waste and inputs used in our processes in the generation of new products. In this way, we contribute directly to the environment by reusing industrial waste and creating sustainable products that help clean the Brazilian energy matrix."