BP looks to build 9 biogas plants in Brazil

Global energy conglomerate BP is exploring the development of at least nine (9) biogas projects in Brazil. The biogas projects would likely draw on feedstock from existing ethanol operations of BP.

The information has been revealed by company president Andres Guevara de la Vega at a British Chamber of Commerce event in Rio de Janeiro, though he did not disclose details on capacity, locations or timelines of these biogas projects.

Biofuels are a central pillar of BP’s Brazil strategy, alongside its offshore pre-salt oil assets.

BP has expanded its footprint in the ethanol and sugarcane sector after taking full ownership of Bunge in 2024. Now operating as BP Bioenergy, the company runs 11 plants and is Brazil’s second-largest ethanol producer, behind Raízen—a joint venture between Shell and Cosan.

BP is already constructing its first biogas facility in Goiás state. The plant, which will use sugarcane bagasse as feedstock, is expected to produce 70,000 m³ per day.

Looking ahead, de la Vega said BP is also assessing opportunities in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), leveraging its experience with co-processed SAF and exploring alcohol-to-jet pathways. SAF holds particular promise in Brazil, where BP is a major jet fuel distributor, supplying more than 40 airports.

While sugarcane remains the backbone of BP’s bioenergy operations, the company is also evaluating corn-based ethanol. De la Vega highlighted “interesting synergies” between sugarcane and corn, noting that corn ethanol has grown rapidly in Brazil. Production reached 7.55bn liters in 2024—20% of the country’s total ethanol output, according to government energy agency EPE.

Last year in June 2024, bp signed agreement to acquire Bunge’s 50% holding interest in its bp Bunge Bioenergia S.A. joint venture. This is one of Brazil’s leading biofuels-producing companies and by this purchase, bp has gained capacity to produce around 50,000 barrels a day of ethanol equivalent from sugarcane through bp Bunge Bioenergia’s 11 agro-industrial units across five Brazilian states.