Brazil’s ethanol producer, FS, first in world to receive certification for SAF production

The certificate attests the company's capability to supply feedstock for the production of sustainable aviation fuel. CREDIT: FS.

FS, one of the largest ethanol and animal nutrition producers in Brazil, is the first Brazilian corn ethanol industry to receive the ISCC international certification (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification). The certificate attests that its production process meets international requirements for the production and supply of ethanol and corn oil for the production of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).

Who are FS?

FS is the first ethanol producer in the world to obtain Low LUC Risk certification in collaboration with one of its second-crop corn suppliers, GGF Group. 

“This certification is an important validation that Brazilian second-crop corn ethanol is a low-carbon feedstock for the production of biofuels on hard to abate sectors , like aviation. Airlines will now be able to count on our ethanol as a competitive and highly scalable source to serve this market globally”, explains FS’ CEO, Rafael Abud.

Low LUC Risk

Having zero Indirect Land Use Change (iLUC) means that a biofuel was produced in a way that does not generate GHG emissions related to iLUC. iLUC refers to indirect changes in land use that can occur when significant areas of land are moved to produce a feedstock for biofuels, such as deforestation or conversion of agricultural land. This approach aims to ensure that the production of biofuels contributes positively to the reduction of carbon emissions, without causing additional damage to the environment.

About the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification

ISCC is a global sustainability certification system covering sustainable feedstocks including agricultural and forestry biomass, biogenic waste, circular materials and renewable energy for different markets. ISCC CORSIA, a voluntary certification scheme that recognises the eligibility of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) based on criteria established by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), which evaluates various environmental, social and traceability criteria, from biomass to the sustainable production of biofuel.

The impact of FS’s certification

FS’s ethanol certification process ranged from the agricultural phase and its inputs, through biofuel production to transportation to SAF producers. The part that includes agricultural production was made possible with the participation of one of its suppliers, the Água Santa farm, part of GGF. In this way, in addition to verifying the carbon footprint of fuel since its agricultural phase, it was confirmed that the iLUC of second-crop corn was zero, adding the Low LUC risk attribute to the ISCC CORSIA Certification. This was the first Low LUC risk certification record verified worldwide.

“The certification process is complex. Two years of implementation were necessary, as a number of documentary evidence is required, such as productivity records for more than 10 years and even data on the implementation of improvements in agricultural practices. Scaling a certification like this to hundreds of producers, including small producers, is extremely complex, and requires certification and regulation flexibilization and adjustment for the reality of rural producers”, argues Daniel Lopes, Vice President of Sustainability and New Business for FS. “This certification shows that we already operate in line with the best global agricultural practices, in addition to proving that through the sustainability and traceability of the process we generate an increase in productivity of second-crop corn in the same agricultural area”, complements GGF’s Executive Director, Rogério Ferrarin.