Brazilian scientists are transforming CO₂ into e-methanol, green gasoline and diesel, with the potential to fuel ships, cars and trucks.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂), a climate villain and the main greenhouse gas, could become a strategic ally in Brazil's energy transition. Brazilian scientists and domestic companies are developing technologies capable of capturing this gas—from industrial processes or directly from the atmosphere—and converting it into renewable fuels such as e-methanol, green gasoline, and diesel—all renewable fuels.
This advancement puts Brazil on the path of nations with the capacity to supply sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as maritime and heavy road transport, with clean and sustainable alternatives.
E-methanol: an innovation born at USP with potential for the maritime sector – renewable fuel
At the Chemistry Institute of the University of São Paulo (IQ-USP), a project conducted within the scope of the Research Center for Innovation in Greenhouse gases (RCGI), a partnership between FAPESP and Shell, seeks to produce e-methanol from CO₂ captured in ethanol plants.
O chemical engineer Pedro Vidinha, co-founder of the startup Carbonic , explains that Brazil has unique conditions for this production: a high volume of pure CO₂ generated during sugarcane fermentation, electrical energy from burning bagasse, and steam to power the chemical process.
With a patented catalyst based on titanium and rhenium oxides, the group managed to convert 18% of CO₂ into products, with 98% selectivity for methanol
Brazilian scientists expect to build a renewable fuel pilot plant at the University City by 2026, capable of generating up to three liters of e-methanol per day. If validated, the technology could be scaled up to industrial scale in sugar and ethanol plants, with projected annual production exceeding 100 tons.
Renewable gasoline and diesel: CO2CHEM project expands possibilities
At the same time, Repsol Sinopec Brasil, in partnership with Hytron, Senai-CETIQT and USP, is developing the CO2CHEM project, which transforms CO₂ and hydrogen into renewable gasoline and diesel.
The pilot unit, inaugurated in March at Hytron's headquarters in Campinas, can produce up to 20 liters per day, consuming 1 ton of CO₂. Engineer Cassiane Nunes of Repsol Sinopec emphasizes that the system can operate with CO₂ from any source and be powered by renewable energy, ensuring a closed carbon cycle.
The project also explores direct air capture (DAC), a pioneering technology implemented in Brazil with the PUCRS Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, capable of removing carbon from the atmosphere for use in the production process.
International reference and competitiveness challenges
On the global stage, e-methanol production is already a reality. Since May, the city of Kasso, Denmark, has been home to the first commercial plant, with a capacity of 42 million tons per year, operated by European Energy and Mitsui. Maersk, a shipping giant, is the main customer and uses the fuel in ships that emit up to 65% less greenhouse gases than those powered by fossil oil.
In Brazil, in addition to the projects by USP and Repsol Sinopec, Petrobras, Braskem, and HIF Global have announced plans for e-methanol plants, still in the early stages. The big challenge, according to Vidinha, is making the fuel competitive: while fossil bunker fuel costs around US$300 per ton, e-methanol costs around US$1.300, a price that tends to fall with economies of scale.
Strategic impact for decarbonization
The development of these technologies is crucial for sectors that cannot rely solely on electrification, such as ships, long-haul trucks, and airplanes. In addition to reducing emissions, using CO₂ as a raw material helps create a circular carbon economy, transforming an environmental liability into a high-value input.
International regulation, such as the International Maritime Organization's goals of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, should accelerate demand and create space for Brazil to become an exporter of advanced renewable fuels.
And you, do you believe that Brazil will be able to position itself as a global leader in the production of renewable fuels from CO₂ in the coming years?