Co-Generation in Porto Feliz

Sugarcane instead of oil - generating carbon-neutral energy with bagasse.

At our site in Porto Feliz, Brazil, we recently opened a highly efficient cogeneration plant for the production of electricity and steam. The new, on-site power plant with a capacity of 4.5 MW, will run on bagasse, a fibrous component of sugarcane that is left over after sugar production. Thanks to the use of this sustainable, environmentally friendly raw material, energy can be produced on a CO2-neutral basis. The amount of CO2 released is exactly the same as that absorbed by the sugarcane plants during growth. 

From 2010, this plant will enable LANXESS to generate all the energy required for iron oxide production, under the brands Bayferrox®, at the site itself and dispense with fossil fuels altogether. LANXESS will thus save on energy costs and neutralize CO2 emissions from around 44,000 metric tons per year to virtually zero compared to 2002 levels. What is more, the ash produced during the process can be used as fertilizer. An added bonus is that the new plant will deliver a long-term, reliable and cost-effective power supply for our site – thereby safeguarding our competitiveness. Costing around €8 million, the co-generation plant represents LANXESS’s largest investment in an eco-friendly technology in Brazil.