Acelen Renewables: from science to the field, from Macaúba to renewable fuel – Acelen

WHAT IS IT

Acelen Renováveis is the energy company of Mubadala Capital, launched at COP 28 in Dubai, with the purpose of accelerating the global energy transition by placing Brazil at the forefront of renewable fuel production.

With a USD 3 billion investment in its first integrated unit, Acelen Renováveis will produce SAF (renewable aviation fuel) and HVO (renewable diesel) from a native Brazilian plant, the macaúba palm.

A Brazilian powerhouse, macaúba, is a raw material that has been studied for over 70 years worldwide and has an energy content up to 10 times greater than soybeans planted per hectare.

180,000 hectares of macauba palm will be planted in degraded pastureland in Bahia and Minas Gerais, regenerating and making the soil productive. An additional benefit that macauba brings to agribusiness.

More than 1 billion liters of fuel will be produced annually, meeting global demand and accelerating the decarbonization of a complex sector such as mobility.

Over the next few years, the project will inject USD 40 billion into the local economy and generate 85,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the selected regions, in addition to promoting inclusion through the Valoriza Program, which will allocate 20% of macaúba plantation land for partnerships with family farmers and small producers.

And what was once a dream has become a reality. In recent months, Acelen Renováveis began planting on its pilot farm in Cachoeira, Bahia, launched the largest technology and innovation center in agribusiness dedicated to the study of macauba, the Acelen Agripark, and established a partnership with the first family of small producers that will contribute to and accelerate the planting of macauba.

By combining scientific innovation, sustainable agricultural production, and clean industrialization, Acelen Renováveis is building a new national production chain, reducing emissions, capturing carbon, generating jobs and regional development, and consolidating Brazil's role as a global power in renewable energy.

RESULTS AND OBJECTIVES

Acelen Renováveis operates with the purpose of driving the global energy transition through the production of renewable fuels using a native Brazilian plant, promoting a production model that integrates science and nature for a more sustainable future.

Among its main results and goals:

1. Restoration of degraded pastures: cultivation of 180,000 hectares of macauba palm in degraded pastures with the potential to capture 60 million tons of CO₂.
2. Strengthened family farming: 36,000 hectares cultivated in partnership with small and medium-sized producers, stimulating income generation and regional development through the Acelen Valoriza program.
3. Economic and social impact: according to a study by FGV, the project should inject US$40 billion into the Brazilian economy and generate up to 85,000 direct and indirect jobs.
4. Emissions reduction: Acelen's renewable fuels will reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional fuels.
5. Industrial future: Bahia's biorefinery, with the capacity to produce 1 billion liters/year of renewable fuels (SAF, HVO and bio-LPG), scheduled for 2028, with state-of-the-art technology, traceability and lower water and energy consumption.
6. The fuels will be drop-in, meaning they will not require any engineering adjustments for their use.

Timeline: completion of the first industrial phase by 2028, with agricultural and R&D phases underway since 2023.