BSBIOS and ALTA partner for aviation sustainable fuels
ALTA celebrates the joining of BSBIOS, a Brazilian company founded in 2005 and the country’s largest biodiesel producer, as its new member.
June 15, 2022
A greener partnership for the aviation industry in Latin America and Caribbean has just taken off
The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) celebrates the joining of BSBIOS, a Brazilian company founded in 2005 and the country’s largest biodiesel producer, as its new member. In 2021, the company produced 895,463 m³ of biodiesel, a figure that, according to the company’s 2021 Sustainability Report, represents an 18.5% increase over 2020 and a 13.2% market share in Brazil, with four consecutive years as the leader in biodiesel production.
BSBIOS and the aviation industry share the common goal of decarbonizing the planet. Focusing on the operations of the Agribusiness and Renewable Energy divisions, the company’s strategic planning has defined the focus of investment in sustainable businesses with the aim of being the largest producer of advanced biofuels in Latin America by 2025. Another important part of the planning is to promote businesses that will position the organization among the three largest producers of biofuels in the world, in addition to being Carbon Neutral by 2030.
BSBIOS currently has two production plants in Brazil: one located in Passo Fundo, in Rio Grande do Sul, and another located in Marialva, in Paraná. In March, the group acquired the MP Biodiesel plant located in Domdidier, in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. At the same time, it is developing the Omega Green biorefinery construction project in Paraguay, which will produce advanced biofuels (HVO, which is green diesel, and SPK – Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosine, which is aviation biokerosene, and green naphtha) as of 2025.
“Brazil is a pioneer in Latin America in terms of biofuel production and BSBIOS is leading the investment in what will be the first SAF biorefinery in the southern hemisphere. The company has been one of the protagonists in this sector and having it among our members is a great satisfaction for the association. Our challenge is for Latin America and Caribbean to develop a SAF production industry to increase its availability in the region, and for airlines to more quickly achieve the environmental goals set, creating jobs and opportunities for more people in the region,” says José Ricardo Botelho, ALTA’s Executive Director & CEO.
“We are very proud to be part of such a representative organization in the aviation sector,” comments Erasmo Carlos Battistella, General Director of BSBIOS. “I am confident that this partnership is green and sustainable and will join forces in the region to speed up investments in advanced biofuels and build a common single policy strategy for SAF production in Latin America. We want to work in cooperation with the aviation industry, which can benefit, in addition to SAF, HVO and other biofuels, from the companies’ on-the-ground actions”, Battistella adds, highlighting that, according to information from the aviation industry, 65% of the net zero goal should be achieved with the use of SAF.
The joining of BSBIOS to ALTA creates opportunities for collaborative work with airlines and countries so that the region is able to achieve its decarbonization goals. ALTA CEO highlights that several countries in the region are already working on initiatives to improve their legal frameworks in order to produce and/or import SAFs as a first step. Initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia stand out.
“The Latin American and Caribbean aviation industry is taking firm steps to meet its environmental commitments and ALTA is focused on working with States to stablish the necessary conditions to achieve these goals. I am confident that the expertise and work of BSBIOS will be of great value to our members and countries in this sense”. ALTA’s CEO says.
“In my opinion, Brazil’s position on this SAF issue is critical because the country is responsible for 50% of air transport in the region. Therefore, we need to create a strong regulatory framework with the organization of how the country will use aviation biokerosene and ensuring security of the investment and the minimum percentage of blending. However, this initiative must be an integrated action with the entire Latin American continent. The demand for SAF is already knocking our door and we need a quick and consistent response to speed up this sustainability path”, Battistella concludes.
BSBIOS has national and international certifications for its products, which attest to quality, sustainability and compliance. ISCC certifies that the biodiesel produced by the company, from the production of sustainable raw material (animal fats) to its industrialization, reduces the emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) from 86% to 90% compared to fossil diesel, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. The company also achieved two new certifications (ISO 14001 and ISO 45001) and the APROBIO quality seal.