FS Bioenergia – The first large-scale corn ethanol plant in Brazil comes into scene

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There is a new actor in the Brazilian biofuels scene, traditionally dominated by sugarcane. FS Bioenergia, the first large-scale corn ethanol production plant in Brazil, was officially opened by the second week of this month (see press release). This important project is the result of an international collaboration between Fiagril and Summit Agricultural Group. Let us know the details.

Figure 1. FS Bioenergia is the first corn-only ethanol production facility in Brazil (extracted from Summit Agricultural Group web page)

Project datasheet:
Location
Lucas do Rio Verde, Mato Grosso (Brazil).
Owners
Summit Agricultural Group
It is an agricultural investment and farm management company based in Iowa and founded in 1990.
Fiagril
It is a diversified company whose operations throughout Brazil include biodiesel production, grain trading, crop production inputs and infrastructure development.
Technology provider
ICM Inc.
Feedstock and processing capacity
(initial phase)
- 22 million bushels of corn (approximately, 800 million liters).
Products and production capacity
(initial phase)
- 60 million gallons of corn ethanol.
- 6,200 tons of corn oil.
- 170,000 tons of feed ingredients.
- 60 MW of electricity to the local power grid.
Second phase
The second phase of operations will increase corn processing and ethanol production twofold.
Cost
$115 million.
Employment
150 full-time workers.
Timeline
Start of the construction works: early 2016.
Official opening of the initial phase: August 2017.
Second phase of operation: 2018.

Landmark project in Brazil

According to the press release, the new corn ethanol facility is considered a landmark project in Brazil because two reasons:
1. It will offset Brazil's increasing demand for domestic ethanol, which cannot be met by the existing sugarcane-based ethanol production. Bank of America estimated that annual ethanol sales in Brazil could reach 13.5 billion gallons in 2022, two-thirds greater than the 8.1 billion gallons of sugarcane ethanol production in 2016.
2. It will introduce to Mato Grosso valuable fiber and protein co-products which will serve as high-value feed for the country's expanding livestock industry.
The Mato Grosso region's substantial corn production makes corn-derived ethanol a viable option to complement existing sugarcane ethanol production and fulfill an annual multibillion-gallon shortfall.
Video: FS Bioenergia begins production

 Bruce Rastetter, founder and CEO of Summit Agricultural Group, said: "FS Bioenergia is the most modern and efficient ethanol production operation in the world and will revolutionize the biofuels landscape in Brazil. Summit Ag Group and Fiagril are proud to have delivered this historic project to Mato Grosso, and we look forward to the development of the region as a leader in ethanol, corn and livestock production”. Marino Franz, Fiagril founder, said: “This is a transformative moment for both agriculture and the renewable fuels industry in Brazil. FS Bioenergia will not only meet Brazil's growing demand for ethanol, but it sets the stage for Mato Grosso to become a global leader in the production of corn ethanol."

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