Written by: Fatima Younes
The political plans and proposals of both Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula place the biofuel and bioenergy sector at the forefront of priorities to strengthen Brazil's presence in low-carbon energy markets, with each party adopting different approaches to stimulate investment and production.
Flávio Bolsonaro's plans and trends
The program attributed to Flávio Bolsonaro focuses on stimulating private investment and providing a legislative and legally secure environment, with proposals to expand infrastructure for natural gas and develop the refining sector, as well as supporting domestic fertilizer production to reduce reliance on imports. The program highlights trends to support the ethanol, biodiesel, biogas, and sustainable aviation fuel sectors, in addition to launching financing mechanisms for projects that recycle waste and convert it into clean energy.
The program also relies on the implementation of the Future Fuel Law and the activation of international frameworks for the RenovaBio program, allowing carbon credit trading in global markets, with a focus on commitment to halting illegal deforestation by the target date, and without setting detailed goals for reducing carbon emissions in the documents submitted to electoral authorities.
Lula's vision for renewable energy and biofuels
For his part, Lula's program supports expanding renewable energy and developing storage systems and transport networks, with a focus on increasing the production of ethanol extracted from sugarcane and corn, biodiesel, and advanced second and third-generation biofuels. The program proposes strengthening the role of Petrobras and its biofuel subsidiaries, and activating the Future Fuel Law, which includes mechanisms for carbon capture and storage.
Lula's strategy includes raising the mandatory blending ratios of ethanol and biodiesel in conventional fuels to support the domestic market, in addition to committing to updated national targets for reducing net gas emissions and achieving net-zero deforestation, while launching programs to support the resilience of the agricultural and environmental sector to face climate change.
