Evaluation of the greenhouse gas emissions of the Brazilian biodiesel and the impact of the mandatory blending of the biofuel into commercial diesel fuel

Many countries have undertaken initiatives to enhance biodiesel production, aiming to boost domestic biofuel production and reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. The National Brazilian Council of Energy Policies (CNPE) has implemented a policy mandating blending biodiesel into commercial diesel fuel, starting at 13% in April 2023 and increasing to 15% by 2026. A key question is how much this policy can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address this, we calculated the average carbon intensity (CI) of biodiesel produced in Brazil, using data from biodiesel producers certified under the Brazilian program for biofuel carbon credits (RENOVABIO). We found an average of 21.58 g of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of biodiesel produced. It represents at least a 75% decrease compared to pure diesel fuel. Also, our estimates suggest that mandatory biodiesel blending could prevent the emission of at least 170 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between 2023 and 2030. We anticipate that the findings of this study will provide valuable insights into the impact of mandatory biodiesel blending on GHG reduction in Brazil. The methodology developed in this study could be applied to assess the effects of biodiesel production in other regions.