Cemvita & Radix advance Brazil circular bio-oil plan

Cemvita and Radix have completed front-end engineering work for a circular bio-oil project in Brazil that uses crude glycerin from biodiesel production as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other advanced biofuels.

The work moves the project closer to a buildable plant design. It included defining operating boundaries, testing process assumptions, and aligning the biological process with industrial requirements.

Crude glycerin is a byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing and often has limited value. The project aims to convert it into a low-carbon-intensity bio-oil that can serve as a feedstock for fuel-production routes used by refiners and biofuel producers.

Brazil focus

Brazil has a long-established biofuels sector, with bioethanol a major part of domestic supply and exports. The Cemvita-Radix project targets a different part of the value chain by using a residue stream from biodiesel plants rather than agricultural sugars or starches.

Cemvita's biomanufacturing platform converts crude glycerin into a versatile bio-oil that can be upgraded into drop-in feedstocks. The company said it can be used for co-processing in existing refineries and for Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA)-based SAF pathways.

Work in Brazil has included adapting the engineering package and plant configuration to local conditions. Cemvita said the team reviewed equipment selection, utilities, layout, and integration approaches.

Engineering scope

Front-end engineering defines the technical basis for detailed design, procurement, and construction. Cemvita and Radix described the milestone as risk-reduction for a project that combines biological conversion with industrial plant requirements.

Radix led development of the engineering and industrial design basis, along with a scalability framework. Radix provides technology solutions and consulting and engineering services to industrial clients, with bases in Houston and Rio de Janeiro.

The engineering effort focused in part on making the process executable at industrial scale. That included setting process limits and assessing how the conversion step would perform across expected operating conditions.

Radix also worked on integration with existing industrial assets, which could reduce additional infrastructure needs depending on available utilities and logistics at biodiesel sites.

Cost claims

Cemvita said the adaptation work reduced projected production costs. "What the teams have accomplished in the past six months reflects a very high level of engineering collaboration and discipline," said Luciano Zamberlan, VP of Operations and Engineering at Cemvita. "Together with Radix, we successfully tropicalized a project initially designed for the U.S., adapting equipment selection, utilities, layout, and integration strategies to Brazil. This approach enabled close to a 40% reduction in cost per ton of bio-oil produced, while leveraging strong synergies with existing industrial assets and local capabilities."

The companies did not disclose the absolute cost-per-tonne figure, expected plant capacity, or total capital expenditure. They also did not identify the planned site or any biodiesel partner that would supply crude glycerin.

They said the design approach could be replicated across biodiesel facilities. In that scenario, crude glycerin would shift from a low-value byproduct to a more strategic feedstock for low-carbon-intensity fuels.

Market context

SAF projects have expanded globally as airlines and fuel suppliers look for alternatives to conventional jet fuel. Many SAF routes rely on limited supplies of waste oils and fats, prompting a search for additional feedstocks that can scale while meeting carbon-intensity and sustainability requirements.

In Brazil, biodiesel production generates crude glycerin. Converting that stream into a fuels intermediate offers an alternative value chain alongside existing refinery and biofuel assets. The project also points to a circular bioeconomy model, in which a waste or residual stream becomes an input for a higher-value product.

"This project demonstrates how innovation and industrial engineering can work together to enable energy transition," said Luiz Mello, Head of Energy at Radix. "Cemvita has developed a unique and differentiated technology. Our close collaboration aims to ensure that this technology can be engineered, built, and operated at an industrial scale with the discipline and quality required for long-term success."

The project remains in development, with the companies working toward a final investment decision in 2026.