BECCS - Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage
FS is a pioneering company in the production of second-crop corn ethanol. In 2024, it announced the second phase of investments in BECCS. In this initiative, through the storage of CO2 produced in the fermentation stage, corn ethanol will have a negative footprint. The start of storage is scheduled for June 2026, positioning Brazil as a leader in carbon removal in Latin America.
Corn ethanol with a negative footprint: pioneering in Brazil.
Methodology
BECCS technology combines bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. The CO2 generated during fermentation is captured, dehydrated, compressed, and injected into geological reservoirs at a depth of approximately 1,200 meters. Technical studies have confirmed its viability, identifying porous formations suitable for storage and sealing layers that prevent leakage. The project's development is structured in four main stages: geological validation, regulation, environmental licensing, and operation.
CO₂ captured and stored at a depth of 1,200 meters.
Results
FS has successfully advanced through the initial phases of the BECCS project, validating geological feasibility and drilling a stratigraphic well with ANP authorization in Lucas do Rio Verde. A pioneer in Latin America, the project relies on the legal framework of the Fuel of the Future. In the first phase of the project, FS invested approximately R$ 110 million in technical studies and stratigraphic well drilling. In 2024, it announced the second phase with an investment of approximately R$ 350 million. The project inspired its parent company to initiate the largest carbon capture project in the USA.
A benchmark project for global carbon capture.
FS will carry out a second phase of investments to produce its first carbon-negative ethanol.