FS, a leading ethanol and animal nutrition producer in Brazil, has completed technical studies proving the geological viability of injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into the subsoil at its Lucas do Rio Verde facility. This breakthrough will make FS the world’s first ethanol producer with a negative carbon footprint and the first to implement BECCS (bioenergy production with carbon capture and storage) technology in ethanol production outside the U.S. The adoption of BECCS will prevent the release of approximately 423,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually, with the potential to scale up to over 1.8 million tons per year across FS’s operations. This innovative technology captures carbon and injects it into deep geological layers for safe storage for thousands of years, mitigating its impact on global warming. FS has been working on this project for four years, drilling a stratigraphic well to analyze rock formations. Studies confirmed the Diamantino rock formation’s suitability for CO2 injection at a depth of over 800 meters. FS aims to invest in equipment for capturing, dehydrating, compressing, and injecting CO2 underground once the activity is regulated. The project has received financial support from FINEP, a public agency promoting innovation. FS’s vision is to become the world’s largest producer of carbon-negative fuel, seeking to monetize the project through carbon credit sales and awaiting the approval of the legal framework by the Brazilian Senate.
