Brazil, through the Ministry of Transport, on Tuesday (11) joined a 42-nation coalition seeking to electrify all medium and heavy vehicles by 2040, in contrast to the Brazilian government’s defense of the use of biofuels to decarbonise the transport sector. The announcement was made during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém.
Last week, during the climate summit, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked countries to join the commitment launched by Brazil to the world to quadruple the production of sustainable fuels by 2035, including biofuels. This agenda is strategic for Brazilian agricultural companies, which see an opportunity to boost their exports of ethanol, biodiesel and biomethane.
The memorandum of understanding signed by Brazil on Tuesday stipulates that by 2040, all medium and heavy vehicles sold in the country, such as buses and trucks, must be completely zero-emission. By 2030, the goal is to reach 30% of sales.
However, the initiative’s carbon footprint calculation only takes into account gases emitted during vehicle use, favoring only electricity and green hydrogen – the latter industry still in its infancy.
Biofuels are considered clean when their entire life cycle is analyzed, including the carbon capture of the fuel’s raw material farms. It is therefore outside the scope considered by the coalition joined by the Brazilian government, “Leadership to Zero,” led by the Colombian government.
Brazil’s accession, in addition to going in the opposite direction to President Lula’s request, contrasts with Brazilian industry’s growing interest in biomethane as an alternative to diesel in the country’s truck fleets. BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development), for example, is one of the largest financiers of this industry in the country.
In recent months, there has been a significant rise in registrations of gas trucks in Brazil, which can use biomethane. In the first half of the year, according to Anfavea (National Automobile Manufacturers Association), there were 356, more than double the number last year.
Among the companies already using biomethane in their fleet are Natura and L’oreal. Furthermore, some truck manufacturers in Brazil, such as Scania and Iveco, have also chosen to produce vehicles capable of operating on biomethane. This technology is still in its infancy, but the industry sees it as promising, as the fuel can be made from organic agricultural waste and from landfills.
The government also supports other biofuels in the industry. At the end of October, Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira participated in the launch ceremony of “Bevan,” a fuel made from animal fat and soybean oil that could replace diesel in trucks and buses.
The signed Memorandum of Understanding is not deliberative, but indicates the paths that the signatory countries want to follow to decarbonize their transportation sector. Although the document does not mention biofuels directly, Drive to Zero’s global director, Stephanie Kudish, was categorical about the initiative’s goal.
“Zero emissions means zero tailpipe emissions,” he said. “So it basically only involves electric batteries and hydrogen.” Boundduring Brazil’s accession ceremony to COP30, which was also attended by Volkswagen executives in Brazil.
When asked about biofuels, she added: “The memorandum of understanding is neutral in terms of technology, but what is not open for discussion is that no pollution comes out of the exhaust; zero emissions means zero emissions. So it is not a certain percentage that brings you closer to zero, it is zero.”
the Bound It found that the decision to join the initiative came from the Ministry of Transport – and Minister Renan Filho’s presence at the ceremony was considered until Monday (10). In Itamarati, which is participating in global discussions on fuel use in the road sector, technicians were not aware of the initiative.
The stickiness also surprised the biomethane sector itself. “I will talk to the ministry, which has always recognized the importance of biomethane. I cannot imagine the ministry doing anything different from what I have always advocated,” says Renata Isver, president of Abiogás (Brazilian Biogas and Biomethane Association).
In response to a question about the apparent contradiction between Brazil’s commitment to the initiative and the general policies of the Lula government, the Minister of Sustainability of the Ministry of Transport, who participated in the ceremony, said that the country’s entry is to promote dialogue within the “Driving to Zero” campaign.
He said, “What the Ministry of Transport did was dialogue with all segments, commitment to all strategies, and reconciliation between these strategies and the Brazilian energy transformation strategy.” “In terms of the memorandum’s ambitions, our contribution is in line with all the policies we are already developing.”
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