Acelen Renewables to invest $2.5B in renewable fuel production from macauba

In the UAE, newly created and announced during COP-28, Acelen Renewables enters the market with investments exceeding $2.5 billion. The primary focus will be on the production of renewable fuels, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and Renewable Diesel, derived from the Macauba – a native Brazilian plant with high energy potential. The company is a subsidiary of Acelen and is sponsored by Mubadala Capital, a global asset management company.

During COP-28, the company pledged to building the biorefinery in Bahia, and collaborate on establishing an innovation hub in the state, engaging local research institutions and universities. Thus, Acelen Renewables will work on the development of Macauba in Bahia and the revitalization of oil palm cultivation.

The location will be crucial for technological development and the training of small farmers in Bahia, with partnerships focused on family farming programs. Another important aspect is that the company will support the government of Bahia in mapping and identifying suitable areas for Macauba cultivation, with an emphasis on structuring agreements for the implementation of agro-industrial hubs in the region.

With the government of Minas Gerais, Acelen Renewables also announced the start of implementing a Center for Innovation and Agro-Industrial Technology (CITA), located in the city of Montes Claros. The Center will be a space for research, improvement, and development of Macauba. Consequently, the company will produce high-quality Macauba seeds and seedlings, enhancing the importance of the native plant in the energy transition process.

On this occasion, several partnerships were established: with Honeywell, which will be the technology licensor and supplier of advanced engineering for the Ecofining TM unit for the production of renewable fuels; with ALFA LAVAL, responsible for developing and implementing the vegetable oil refining solution, and with AFRY, the selected company to carry out the basic engineering of the unit and provide consulting services to obtain the necessary Environmental Alteration License (LA) for the project.