Dec 29, 2025
Petrobras to start producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Starting in 2027, Brazilian airlines will have to add some portion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to fossil aviation kerosine to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 1% according to legislation passed last year. Petrobras believes it will be able to meet 100% of the national demand for sustainable aviation fuel between 2027 and 2029.
The Brazilian oil company intends to meet the demand for SAF with its products manufactured via the co-processing route. The company stated that it can meet the initial demand from four refineries in southeastern Brazil. After that, the company plans units dedicated to the production of SAF.
Starting in January of 2029, airline operators in Brazil are forced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2%. Those percentages then grow by one point a year to 10% in 2037. Currently, the company can already produce SAF through co-processing with 1% renewable content in its Reduc refinery in Rio de Janeiro and Revap refinery in Sao Paulo. Starting the second half of 2026, its Regap refinery in Minas Gerais will produce 1% renewable and its Replan refinery in Sao Paulo up to 5%.
After 2029,Petrobras plans to start production of SAF in dedicated units, starting with the RPBC (Sao Paulo) refinery, with 15 thousand barrels per day. Subsequently, the company plans to produce 19 thousand barrels per day at the Boaventura complex (Rio de Janeiro) and 10 thousand per day at Replan.
Petrobras made its first delivery of SAF to the Galeao airport in Rio in early December after becoming the first to produce the fuel entirely in the country. The 3 thousand cubic meters of SAF delivered to the airport was the equivalent of a day of consumption at the airport. The fuel of the first delivery was produced at the Reduc refinery under authorization from the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP).
One of the main feedstocks for SAF is ethanol made from corn or sugarcane through the alcohol-to-jet process. SAF consumption in Brazil is expected to increase demand for locally produced ethanol either from corn or other grains and sugarcane.