54 sugar-energy plants that produce electricity from biomass already hold the Green Energy Certificate issued under the Bioelectricity Certification Program – Edition 2020. The survey of the number of certified plants has just been released. It is an initiative of the Union of the Sugarcane Industry (UNICA), in cooperation with the Electric Energy Trading Chamber (CCEE) and support from the Brazilian Association of Energy Traders (ABRACEEL). Created in 2015, the Green Energy Certificate is the first certification in Brazil focused strictly on electrical energy produced from sugarcane. It includes sugar-energy plants that export electricity to the National Interconnected System (SIN) and also those that produce only for self-consumption, provided they comply with the guidelines of the Certification Program. Some of these rules include the obligation that the generating units are in compliance with the CCEE, are associated with UNICA and meet energy efficiency criteria, in addition to the fact that the fuel used in generation is renewable.Throughout 2020, the 54 units holding this certification are expected to produce a total of 12,211 GWh, 64% of which are exported to the National Interconnected System (SIN) and the remainder to self-consumption by sugar and energy plants.It is a strategic and renewable energy to be produced by these plants for the country, equivalent to 15% of last year’s production at Usina Itaipu or 100% of coal-fired generation.On the consumption side, these 12,211 GWh represent more than 7% of the annual industrial consumption of electricity in Brazil.This, in addition to avoiding the estimated emission of 4.1 million tons of CO2, a mark that would only be reached with the cultivation of 29 million native trees over 20 years.According to the Program, UNICA issues certificates for sugar-energy bioelectricity producing plants and also the Green Energy Seal for traders associated with ABRACEEL and consumers who purchase energy from plants certified in the Free Contracting Environment, considering the initiative’s guidelines. Both the Certificate (for the plants) and the Green Energy Seal (for the traders / consumers) are granted annually at no financial cost to those who comply with the guidelines set out in the Regulations and apply for enrollment in the Program.Green Energy Certificates and Seals are valid from January to December of each year.Of the 54 plants certified until February, units belonging to important economic groups in the sugar-energy sector such as Atvos, Balbo, Batatais, Biosev, Cocal, Cofco International Brasil, Colombo, Ipiranga, Nardini, Pedra Agroindustrial, Pitangueiras, Raízen, Tereos, Vale do Paraná participate and Viralcool.For more information about the Green Energy Certificate and Seal, access https://unica.com.br/iniciativas/selo-energia-verde/ or send an email to bioeletricidade@unica.com.br.
Source: Jornal Cana