Bonsucro and UDOP sign agreement to partner on bioenergy

8th July 2024

To support the strategic expansion of our work in Brazil, we have signed a technical cooperation agreement with the National Bioenergy Union (UDOP) in Brazil. Through the agreement we commit to working together to prioritise and boost sustainability in the sugarcane sector. The agreement covers collaborating on sustainability tools and technical cooperation programmes.

The agreement was signed by our Senior Coordinator for Brazil, Natalia Pinheiro Cera, and UDOP's Board Executive Director, Hugo Cagno Filho, at the 17^th National Bioenergy Congress - pictured above.

Bioenergy in Brazil is significant

According to the Bioenergy Times, in 2023 4.6% of the Brazil's annual energy total consumption was from biomass - making it a record year. Bioenergy in Brazil is expected to continue to grow, with sugarcane playing an important role. Matching this trend, 91.8% of the 98 Bonsucro certified mills in Brazil are producing bioenergy. As the bioenergy market is expanding, it's essential that we work both with producers and organisations like UDOP to promote sustainability of the feedstock.

UDOP is an organisation that focuses on professional qualification while encouraging technological innovations for the bioenergy sector. It was founded 1985 by the directors of the autonomous distilleries which were created as a part of the National Alcohol Program (ProÁlcool) - a strategic policy of the Brazilian government.

What does the agreement mean?

The new Cooperation Agreement covers technical and scientific cooperation programmes, knowledge sharing, capacity building, sustainability tools, and communications.

To support growth in a market like bioenergy, building technical knowledge and capacity is key. UDOP has established technical committees and significant experience in training professionals for mills. Our agreement supports cooperation programmes in technical, scientific and research matters, with the aim of promoting the adoption of sustainable practices and the exchange of knowledge between members of both organsiations. We believe that working together provides the potential to increase the impact of our respective areas of work.

Complementing this is the idea of knowledge sharing more broadly. A major part of our work is to bring different actors in the sugarcane sector to collectively create a bigger impact. One of the aspects of Bonsucro membership that is most appreciated is that we create space for our members to learn from each other. This agreement includes a component of knowledge sharing across data, efficient agricultural practices, and promotes networking.

The cooperation agreement also sets out ideas to work together to deliver on events such as workshops and seminars. These will focus on promoting environmentally friendly and socially responsible approaches to sugarcane cultivation, processing, and bioenergy production.

To find out more about our work in Brazil, contact our Senior Coordinator for Brazil, Natalia Pinheiro Cera at [email protected].

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