About Biomass, Biogas and Green Hydrogen

The State of Paraná has great potential for the production of biomass and biogas. As one of the largest grain producers in the country, it ends up generating agricultural residues in the same order of magnitude, in addition to having one of the largest and most competitive forest plantation areas in the world.

In addition, the State is among the largest national producers and exporters of chicken, and also among the largest pork producers in Brazil, which generates huge amounts of biogas.

Additionally, the population of Paraná generates more than 10 million tons of Urban Solid Waste daily, which represents an environmental liability, but which can be used to generate electricity.

Despite Paraná being the holder of a thriving agricultural market, world record productivity, having climate and land with extremely favorable conditions, the State registers a timid national participation in the production of biomass for energy generation. In this way, the promotion of taking advantage of these excellent agricultural conditions meets the interests of the State, Copel itself and society, considering:

a) The enormous potential for generating electricity in Paraná from biomass;

b) The trend of change in the Brazilian energy matrix, incorporating a significant amount of wind and run-of-river hydraulic generation, of an intermittent nature, resulting in the need for thermal generation to establish the National Interconnected System – SIN;

c) That biomass is a clean, renewable energy fuel and, when compared to other fossil fuels, it is quite interesting because it is less polluting with low emission of gases, including those that cause the greenhouse effect;

d) The natural conditions of climate and soil favorable to the production of biomass existing in Paraná, in order to assume a prominent position in the national scenario in the production and use as an energy resource;

e) The fact that Paraná has a thriving agricultural market, a world record in productivity, which generates residues in the same proportion;

f) The commitments assumed by Brazil in the Paris Agreement, during COP21, to reduce greenhouse gases (reduction of 37% by 2025 and 43% by 2030) and to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the matrix energetic;

g) The growth prospects of the distributed generation market in Paraná;

h) The global trend towards the decarbonisation of economies.

In order to take advantage of this potential, Copel, through its Business Development Department – DDN, frequently expresses to the market, through Public Calls, its interest in analyzing and developing business opportunities in energy generation from biomass (bagasse sugarcane, forestry, agro-industry residues) and biogas and biomethane (agricultural desires, agro-industrial residues, MSW).

Green hydrogen, in turn, is obtained from renewable sources through electrolysis, separating the hydrogen from the oxygen that makes up the molecule, thus avoiding the emission of carbon dioxide and thus avoiding the emission of millions of tons. of CO2 every year.

The viability of green hydrogen, however, has some disadvantages, such as: the high cost of production, transport and distribution; safety (volatile and flammable element); and higher energy expenditure for production.