Petrobras innovates in São José dos Campos: transforms ethanol residue into sustainable asphalt, boosting the clean economy and decarbonization of Brazilian highways.
Petrobras has just announced a significant advance in its sustainability and clean energy strategy with the implementation of a new technology at the Henrique Lage refinery, located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. The innovation consists of using waste from ethanol production, specifically corn technical oil, as raw material for the manufacture of sustainable asphalt. This initiative reinforces the company’s commitment to the green economy and reducing the carbon intensity of its products.
The development represents a milestone in the use of renewable materials in national infrastructure, showing how the energy sector can align with sustainability. The ability to transform an agricultural byproduct into a high-value-added material for Brazilian highways is the central point of this news, with direct implications for decarbonization and resource utilization.
Innovation and Sustainability in Asphalt Production
The technology recently adopted by Petrobras uses corn technical oil, an input derived from the processing of corn kernels, which now integrates the composition of the asphalt binder CAP Pro R. This product is part of the company’s pavement line focused on sustainability. The Henrique Lage refinery, a strategic hub for Petrobras, has already shown notable results.
Since June 2026, the production of CAP Pro R has reached the mark of 95,000 tons. According to the company, this volume would be sufficient to cover a distance equivalent to a round trip between the capitals of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Such a scale highlights the innovation’s potential to transform the landscape of highway construction in Brazil, using cleaner and more efficient sources.
Commitment to Clean Energy and Carbon Reduction
Petrobras‘s engagement with the sustainable economy is underscored by the numbers: in 2026, by the month of August, the production of asphalts with renewable components already accounted for 16.6% of the total manufactured by the company. The application of corn technical oil in asphalt not only promotes the use of agricultural products but also maintains the technical characteristics of the pavement, ensuring its durability and performance without the need for additional adaptations.
The director of logistics, commercialization, and markets at Petrobras, Angélica Laureano, highlighted the importance of the initiative:
We are expanding the range of renewable raw materials used in refineries and reinforcing the strategy of diversifying products with lower carbon intensity.
An additional benefit is that, by not being intended for combustion, the carbon present in the asphalt remains fixed throughout the material’s useful life, contributing directly to emission reduction.
The Strategic Role of Corn Technical Oil
The corn technical oil used by Petrobras is acquired from the Inpasa biorefinery, a strategic partner in the clean energy chain. This versatile input was already used in the manufacturing of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and R diesel, a version partially produced with vegetable inputs. Its application in sustainable asphalt further diversifies its use, strengthening the circular economy.
Rafael Verruck, director of domestic market and oil trading at Inpasa, emphasized the importance of corn technical oil in the current scenario:
We are proud to see this cutting-edge Brazilian technology paving a greener future for our highways as well.
The collaboration between the companies demonstrates the potential of innovation and partnership to drive decarbonization and create more sustainable solutions for the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Petrobras‘s initiative in São José dos Campos with sustainable asphalt from ethanol residue marks an important step in Brazil‘s energy transition.
By incorporating renewable raw materials into its processes, the company not only contributes to decarbonization and the green economy but also paves the way for new applications of agricultural byproducts in infrastructure. This move not only values clean energy but projects a future where Brazilian highways will be built with increasingly environmentally friendly solutions, generating a lasting positive impact for the country.
