UK-headed biofuel technology developer Green Fuels Ltd has via Green Fuels Ventures reaffirmed its support to the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and its commitment to sustainable development. The city’s 2030 Agenda supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Race to Zero. Green Fuels is the biofuels refining technology provider and anchor partner for the recently-established CIEP TEC Norte research centre of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF).
The announcement was made at an event on World Environment Day on June 5, 2021. Among the ongoing projects underpinning the city’s 2030 Agenda is the Plataforma de Bioquerosene e Renováveis da Zona da Mata (Zona da Mata Biokerosene and Renewables Platform).
In the city of Juiz de Fora, this government is prioritizing ecological transition. This connects us with the UN agenda for 2030, according to which we must create the conditions for a more balanced world, with more respect for the environment and our natural resources, the very axis of our government programme, said Margarida Salomão, Mayor of Juiz de Fora.
As a key part of this Platform, Green Fuels via its subsidiary Green Fuels Ventures América Latina, is the biofuels refining technology provider and anchor partner for the recently-established CIEP TEC Norte research centre of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF).
This groundbreaking public-private partnership (PPP) brings together the city and surrounding municipalities in the Zona da Mata region, as well as national and international partners from both the public and private sectors.
Promote recovery of Mata Atlântica
The Zona da Mata Platform aims to promote recovery of the Mata Atlântica biome and replenishment of depleted aquifers by reforesting degraded land and pasture This will stimulate sustainable family farming and local food production while establishing the municipality as a national hub for renewable energy, including biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The use of sustainable feedstock such as used cooking oil (UCO) from the city and surrounding municipalities, animal fats, and macaúba oil – which when used as the staple agricultural feedstock provides a sustainable second-tier income for small family farmers – will be a fundamental principle of the project. This is exemplified by Green Fuels’ partners Viveiro Nativo/INOCAS, also signatories to the initiative with an award-winning sustainable business model.
Since the beginning of the Platform concept’s development GOL has followed and participated actively in it, initially as a source of renewable kerosene for our operations, but much greater than that, as a sustainable economy differential for the Zona da Mata region. As a fundamental principle of the company’s decarbonisation initiatives, GOL will contribute significantly to carbon fixing through reforestation and continue as an off-taker of refined sustainable fuel, said Pedro Scorza, Senior Consultant for Alternative Fuels and Sustainability at GOL Linhas Aéreas SA and Aviation Renewables Director at Ubrabio (Brazilian Biodiesel and Biokerosene Union).
