São Paulo, August, 2023 – Raízen, the world’s largest producer of sugarcane ethanol, has achieved a new milestone in the global energy transition and the decarbonization of its portfolio, by receiving ISCC CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) Plus certification. Cologne, Germany-based ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) attests that the ethanol produced at the Costa Pinto bioenergy complex, in Piracicaba, Brazil, complies with international requirements for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Raízen is the first ethanol producer in the world to be awarded ISCC CORSIA Plus certification, further positioning the company as the premier supplier of sugarcane ethanol for the production of SAF and, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.  Global certification establishes Raízen as a partner in helping to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation.

ISCC is a global system that covers the entire biofuel value chain, from biomass cultivation to final consumption. The mission of ISCC is to ensure that biofuels are produced in a sustainable manner and in compliance with social, environmental and economic criteria. The CORSIA program is maintained by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, to drive the reduction of CO₂ emissions from the aviation industry.

“The pursuit of cleaner, sustainable fuel alternatives for aviation is no small feat, but our ambition is firmly rooted in advancing this mission by embracing the value of sugarcane ethanol,” said Paulo Neves, vice president of Trading at Raízen. “Through heightened productivity, innovative process investments, and rigorous certification, Raízen has optimized sustainable ethanol production. Our technological innovations result in reduced carbon footprint in alignment with the global sustainability standards of ISCC CORSIA Plus, demonstrating Raízen’s commitment to decarbonization across sectors.”

Produced sustainably from renewable raw materials, SAF can reduce the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80% compared to fossil aviation fuel, according to an estimate by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ICAO has established ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector, and SAF is one of the main strategies to achieve them.

It is estimated that the demand for SAF in the world will reach approximately 20 million m³ in 2030. If 25% of this demand is fulfilled through Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ) technology, there would be an additional requirement of approximately 9 million m³ of ethanol, which represents less than 10% of global production today.

“With the only ISCC Corsia Plus certified ethanol plant in the world, we have the opportunity to boost development of the global SAF market, attracting interest from companies and from countries that value sustainable feedstocks,” said Paulo Neves, vice president of Raízen Trading. “This is just one more step toward being the partner of choice across different markets, with solutions that make a positive impact on our planet.”

About Raízen

We are Raízen – a global benchmark in bioenergy with an integrated business ecosystem: from the cultivation and processing of sugarcane in our bioenergy parks, to the sales, logistics and distribution of fuels, we continually invest in innovation to reshape the future of energy.

Through advanced technologies, we seek to play a leading role in the energy transition by expanding our portfolio of renewable energy sources, such as second-generation ethanol (2GE), biogas, bioelectricity and solar energy. By doing so, Raízen has already avoided the emission of 5.2 million tonnes of C02 per year (reference: 2020); by 2030, we aim to avoid twice this amount.

With a team of 43,000 employees, we operate 35 bioenergy parks with an installed sugarcane crushing capacity of up to 73.5 million tonnes. In the 2022-2023 crop year, they produced 6.1 billion liters of ethanol and 11.3 million tonnes of sugar. We have approximately 1.3 million hectares of agricultural areas that are cultivated with state-of-the-art technology and mechanized harvesting. In the last harvest we produced more than 3 TWh of electricity using sugarcane biomass.

Through a network of 8,000 gas station resellers bearing the Shell brand in Brazil and Argentina, we serve millions of consumers on their daily journeys, offering everything from the exclusive Shell V-Power family of fuels to convenience and benefits when paying with Shell Box. Through Grupo Nós (a joint venture with FEMSA Comercio), we operate in the convenience and proximity retail market with Shell Select stores and OXXO markets.