Embrapa representatives participate in meeting on biogas and biomethane

The Executive Director of Institutional Management at Embrapa, Tiago Ferreira, the Chief General of Embrapa Agroenergia Alexandre Alonso, the Chief General of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cléria Inglis, and the manager of Institutional and Government Relations of the Secretariat of Intelligence and Relations Strategic (GRIG/SIRE) Cynthia Cury participated this Wednesday (23/03) in the meeting promoted by the Parliamentary Front for Bioeconomy to debate the theme “Biogas and Biomethane: the impulse for green growth policy in Brazil”.

The meeting takes place two days after the launch of “Zero Methane”, a government program to encourage biofuels, aligned with the goals assumed by Brazil at COP26. The program brings measures to encourage the production and sustainable use of biomethane, exempting producers from taxes which uses urban and agricultural waste to produce fuel, and includes methane in the carbon credit market, an unprecedented initiative in the world.

The Minister of the Environment (MMA), Joaquim Leite, present at the meeting, stated that the “methane credit” is an environmental asset that will be part of the global carbon market and that Brazil will be the protagonist of the national regulated market, adhering to the international markets. “The goal is to replace 30% of diesel with biomethane,” said Leite.

The Federal Deputy and President of the Parliamentary Front for Bioeconomy, Paulo Ganime, presided over the event and began his speech by commenting on the importance of parliamentary fronts discussing the obstacles and incentives that the State imposes for the development of each sector. He also highlighted the importance of the current moment in relation to energy and fuel issues and how the debate would be opportune to address economic and sustainable development.

Federal Deputy Arnaldo Jardim, Circular Economy Thematic Coordinator and author of the Biogas Production and Use Incentive Program (PL 3865/2021), recalled the importance of Renovabio and highlighted that the bill was created based on lessons learned with other segments, such as the ethanol experiment and solar energy generation. He also highlighted that having legislation means advancing the legal framework for biogas.

In his speech, Embrapa's Executive Director of Institutional Management and acting President Tiago Ferreira highlighted that it is necessary to generate value from the reuse of biomass, reinforcing Brazil's positioning as a country with a sustainable energy matrix.

The General Manager of Embrapa Agroenergia Alexandre Alonso highlighted that Brazil has a huge vocation for sustainable agriculture as well as the green economy and spoke of the opportunity for the country to consolidate low-carbon agriculture and the energy transition to the bioeconomy.

“We need to guarantee the development of new technologies that presuppose sustainable development and, for this, continued investment in R&D is necessary,” said Alonso.

He highlighted Embrapa's role in the development of new technologies, biomass, bioprocess bioinputs, biofuel and biofertilizers; the co-development model that allows establishing partnerships with companies to create new technological assets; in addition to supporting the formulation of public policies. “We made Embrapa available to help provide input into this new biomethane market.

The Executive President of the Brazilian Bioinnovation Association (ABBI) Thiago Falda recalled that the event's theme has been on the discussion agenda since September 2019 and that since then there have been many changes, such as the inauguration of the first commercial-scale plant, in politically, the implementation of Renovabio and, internationally, the regulation of article six of the Paris agreement, which allows for great progress in the trade of mitigation surpluses.

Another highlight of the event was the speech by the Director-President of the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) Evandro Gussi, who highlighted how adequate environmental concern brings gains for the country and for people, making it possible to save money market with maximum sustainable policies. Gussi also highlighted the importance of Embrapa by saying that in his travels around the world, whenever people talk about "agro" or Brazil, Embrapa is cited as a symbol and a representation of Brazil that works.

Also present at the meeting were: deputies Alexis Fonteyne, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Bioeconomy Front; Angela Amin, Paula Belmonte, Rodrigo Agostinho and Marcel van Hattem; the Executive Manager of the Brazilian Biogas Association (ABiogás) Tamar Roitman; the Executive President of the Energy Cogeneration Industry Association (COGEN) Newton Duarte, among others.