Climate Action 2011-2012

Special Feature
Raízen
A strategic approach to
sustainable development
178 climateactionprogramme.org
Raízen, a joint venture between Shell and Cosan, the
world’s largest sugarcane producer, was born in 2011 with
the mission to offer solutions in sustainable energy and
to provide a relevant contribution to society. As such, it
strategically furthers the sustainability actions of its founders.
With 24 sugar and ethanol mills, Raízen manages over
700,000 hectares, has a distribution capacity of 22 billion
litres per year and over 40,000 employees. It is the fifth
largest Brazilian corporation and generates enough electricity
to supply a city as large as Rio de Janeiro. With such
figures, Raízen has the responsibility of being effective in its
sustainable development strategy.
There is no question that sugarcane-based ethanol is an
excellent fuel, both because of its environmental benefits
and of the way it requires only small adjustments to fit the
current transport system infrastructure.
Raízen uses ways to make the sugarcane-to-ethanol process
more efficient. From cultivation to use, sugarcane ethanol
produces around 70 per cent less CO 2
than conventional
petrol, taking into account factors such as transport and
processing. As it grows, sugarcane generally absorbs CO 2
at a
greater rate than other biofuel crops.
The approach it takes also reduces CO 2
emissions in other
ways. For instance, Raízen turns by-products into natural
fertilisers for sugarcane: nutrient-rich crumbly solids, left
from filtering the juice after the sugarcane is crushed in the
mills, and a liquid known as vinasse, left when the ethanol
is distilled. Raízen also burns leftover plant fibres, known as
bagasse, to power its mills. Excess power is supplied to the
national grid.
Electricity from bagasse in the ethanol industry already
meets three per cent of Brazil’s demand, and this is expected
to rise to 15 per cent by 2020. At two of Raízen’s mills, hot
water is used to extract the sugarcane juice, rather than on
squeezing it out with rollers. Chopped cane moves on a
covered conveyor belt as hot water is pumped in. The water
naturally draws the juice out of the cane. More juice is
extracted than in the conventional process and the bagasse
is drier, making it easier to burn for electricity.
Over the coming years, some plant waste from the
sugarcane ethanol process could potentially go into making
advanced biofuels. In one process enzymes break down the
cellulose in plant fibres to produce ethanol. Raízen has the
potential to help accelerate the commercial production of
biofuels from crop waste and inedible plants.
For the energy industry, CO 2
management and reduction
is one of the chief concerns and the focus of much research
and investment. Low-carbon biofuels will be the most
practical and commercially realistic way to take CO 2
out of
transport fuel in the coming years and will be a vital part of
the future energy mix, which will one day be less dependent
on fossil fuels. In this context, it is important to advance
technology and improve farming methods in order to boost
sugarcane productivity over the next decades.
Raízen is determined to implement a cohesive and strategic
agenda, based on long-term guidelines, in order to contribute
to a greener and more sustainable energy matrix. Every move
impels the company towards compliance with overarching
sustainability principles and, while moving forward, every
step must be strategic for the business. This in itself brings
the whole value chain along.
We at Raízen are committed to contributing to a greener
society by improving the sustainability of our operations.
Our goal is to be sustainably profitable and thus generate a
better future.
Luiz Eduardo Fróes do Amaral Osorio
Vice President of Sustainable Development and External Affairs
Raízen
Email: luiz.osorio@raizen.com