Nov 24, 2011

The BNDES approved R$ 114.5 million in financing for a cogeneration project for energy from sugarcane biomass. The resources will be transferred to Cogeração de Energia Elétrica Paraíso S.A., a subsidiary of Rhodia Energy SAS, a company of the Solvay Group.

This financing corresponds to 77% of the total project cost, of approximately R$ 148.6 million. The plant will have an installed capacity of 70 MW, and it will be located in the city of Brotas, in the state of São Paulo, near the Paraíso Plant. The plant will use high-pressure steam production technology, whose main volume will be marketed in the Brazilian Interconnected System (SIN), also providing electricity and steam to the Paraíso Plant.

The project comprises the construction of the cogeneration unit for electrical energy using sugarcane biomass (bagasse, pulp, and tips) as fuel, acquired through a long-term supply contract with Paraíso Bioenergia Ltda, the Paraíso Plant.

The contract provides for the supply of all bagasse from the milling of, at least, 2.5 million tons of processed sugarcane per year, with a recovery of, at least, 30% of sugarcane pulp from sugarcane plantations.

Cogeneration Paraíso will be able to sell to the market up to 300,000 MWh/year, and it will feature two high-pressure boilers with a capacity of 175t/h of steam at 490º.

The steam produced will drive two turbines of 35 MW each, at 13.8 kV, and 16 MW will be allocated to sugarcane processing; 6 MW will be consumed internally in the unit; and 48 MW, sold to free and/or regulated markets. 

Rhodia estimates that the project will be completed in May 2012. A portion of the financing granted by the BNDES, R$ 570,000, will be earmarked for the development of social projects for the community.