RenovaCalc: Calculation of Carbon Intensities Under Brazil’s National Biofuel Policy
In 2017, Brazil launched its National Biofuel Policy (RenovaBio) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation matrix, aligned with the National Determined Contribution commitments under the Paris Agreement. The authors of this Technical Note formed a working group that structured the methodological framework for RenovaCalc, the computational tool used by producers to quantify the carbon intensity of biofuels certified under RenovaBio. The framework is based on the Life Cycle Assessment approach, in accordance with internationally recognized standards and bioenergy policy guidelines. For the 2025 cycle, 331 production units (75% of Brazil’s total) had their biofuels under certification obtained using RenovaCalc, which is currently available for biodiesel, ethanol, biomethane, and sustainable aviation fuel produced from numerous feedstocks. The calculator is widely adopted and possibly the most important life cycle tool in Brazil.
Authors
- J. F. Picoli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2931-122X)
- N. P. Ramos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9868-7722)
- Marcelo Melo Ramalho Moreira
- A. L. M. T. Pighinelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5746-3573)
- Otávio Cavalett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4805-2881)
- Marília I. S. Folegatti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1473-0624)
- Joaquim E. A. Seabra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1463-7104)
- Renan Milagres Lage Novaes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8113-9578)
- Mateus Ferreira Chagas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3594-6827)
- M. T. Scachetti
- M. A. B. Morandi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2807-7339)
- Antonio Bonomi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3240-9615)
- Lucas G. Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2054-1822)
Institutions
- Instituto Biológico (BR)
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (BR)
- Global Services (Slovakia) (SK)
- Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (BR)
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (BR)
- Fundação Getulio Vargas (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Sustainability
- Published
- 2025-11-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310442
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.40