Cemvita, Radix Partner to Develop Circular SAF Feedstock Facility in Brazil

Cemvita and Radix have announced significant progress in the front-end engineering phase of a pioneering circular bio-oil project in Brazil that aims to strengthen the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) value chain. The initiative focuses on converting crude glycerin—a low-value byproduct generated during biodiesel production—into an ultra-low carbon intensity bio-oil that can be used as a feedstock for SAF and other advanced biofuels.

Brazil has long been recognized as a global leader in renewable fuels, particularly bioethanol. However, this collaboration represents a distinct and innovative pathway within the country’s broader bioenergy ecosystem. Instead of relying on traditional feedstocks, the project leverages Cemvita’s proprietary biomanufacturing platform to transform crude glycerin into a versatile bio-oil. This bio-oil can be further upgraded into high-value, drop-in feedstocks suitable for co-processing in existing refineries or for use in Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA)-based SAF production. By expanding the feedstock pool, the project enhances both fuel flexibility and decarbonization potential across the aviation and fuel supply chain.

A central objective of the collaboration is translating Cemvita’s biomanufacturing technology—already de-risked through extensive pilot testing and scale-up efforts—into an industrially viable and commercially executable configuration. Radix, drawing on its global experience in supporting complex, large-scale industrial developments, is leading the engineering effort. This includes establishing the industrial design basis, defining operating parameters, and creating a scalable framework that can support future deployment.

Throughout the engineering process, Radix and Cemvita have worked closely to align biological innovation with real-world industrial requirements. Radix applied its expertise to validate assumptions, define operational limits, and ensure that the biological process could perform reliably within industrial constraints. This collaborative approach has moved the project closer to becoming a build-ready asset while significantly reducing execution and operational risks.

According to Luiz Mello, Head of Energy at Radix, the project highlights the importance of integrating cutting-edge innovation with rigorous industrial engineering practices to enable the energy transition. He emphasized that Cemvita’s technology is both unique and differentiated, and that Radix’s role is to ensure it can be engineered, constructed, and operated at scale with the reliability and quality necessary for long-term success.

Cemvita’s technology repositions crude glycerin—traditionally considered a marginal or low-value output of biodiesel plants—as a strategic input for producing ultra-low carbon intensity fuels. With Radix’s engineering leadership, the project is being designed to allow replication across multiple biodiesel facilities, supporting broader adoption and scalable growth over time.

Luciano Zamberlan, Vice President of Operations and Engineering at Cemvita, noted that the past six months of collaboration demonstrated exceptional engineering discipline and teamwork. He highlighted that the teams successfully “tropicalized” a process originally developed for the United States, adapting equipment selection, utility systems, plant layout, and integration strategies to Brazilian conditions. This localization effort resulted in an estimated 40% reduction in production cost per ton of bio-oil, while maximizing synergies with existing industrial infrastructure and local capabilities.

Beyond its technical and commercial merits, the project contributes to the advancement of a circular bioeconomy by upgrading waste streams into higher-value products and creating new pathways for sustainable fuel production. The initiative continues to progress through its development stages, with the partners targeting a Final Investment Decision by 2026.