Fatima Noor
Jul 15, 2026
Brazil is taking a major step in sustainable aviation fuel production with the construction of Latin America's first large-scale ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) facility at the REPLAN refinery in São Paulo. Designed to produce up to 10,000 barrels of sustainable aviation fuel per day, the project represents more than a new refining investment. It signals how bio-based feedstocks are expanding beyond traditional fuel markets into aviation, creating new sources of demand for ethanol and strengthening the role of renewable raw materials in global energy supply chains.
For procurement managers, chemical traders, ethanol suppliers and industrial buyers, the development highlights an important shift. Bio-feedstocks are increasingly being viewed as strategic industrial inputs capable of serving multiple high-value markets rather than a single downstream application.
The ethanol-to-jet process converts ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel through a series of advanced chemical conversion steps.
Unlike conventional jet fuel, which relies on fossil feedstocks, ETJ technology uses renewable ethanol as its starting material. The resulting fuel is designed to support lower-emission aviation while using infrastructure that is compatible with commercial airline operations.
As airlines seek practical pathways to reduce emissions, ETJ has emerged as one of several promising sustainable aviation fuel production routes.
Brazil enters this market with several competitive advantages.
The country has decades of experience producing fuel ethanol at commercial scale, supported by extensive agricultural resources, established processing infrastructure and a mature biofuels industry.
These strengths provide:
Reliable ethanol supply for industrial processing.
Existing logistics and distribution networks.
Large-scale production expertise.
Opportunities to expand renewable fuel exports.
Greater flexibility for future bio-feedstock investment.
Together, these advantages position Brazil as a significant participant in the evolving sustainable aviation fuel market.
A facility capable of producing up to 10,000 barrels of sustainable aviation fuel each day represents a substantial new source of industrial ethanol consumption.
As additional ETJ projects are announced globally, demand for renewable ethanol may increasingly come from aviation alongside traditional transportation fuels and industrial applications.
For ethanol producers, this diversification creates opportunities to serve a broader customer base while supporting long-term market growth.
The REPLAN investment illustrates a wider trend across the renewable chemicals sector.
Bio-based feedstocks are increasingly supplying industries that historically depended almost entirely on fossil resources. Aviation is joining shipping, chemicals and advanced materials as sectors exploring renewable carbon sources to support long-term decarbonization.
This expanding demand may encourage further investment in agricultural feedstocks, refining technologies and downstream processing capacity.
Growing demand for ethanol as an industrial feedstock will influence future sourcing strategies.
Procurement professionals should monitor:
Long-term ethanol availability.
Feedstock price trends.
Supplier production capacity.
Geographic supply diversity.
Sustainability certification.
Logistics infrastructure.
Expansion of sustainable aviation fuel projects.
These factors can help buyers anticipate changes in supply and pricing as demand evolves.
Higher investment in ethanol processing creates opportunities beyond aviation fuel.
Many chemical manufacturing processes already rely on renewable alcohols and bio-based intermediates. Expanding ethanol production capacity and associated infrastructure may strengthen supply chains for additional renewable chemical products over time.
As investment accelerates, economies of scale may also improve commercial opportunities across the broader bio-based chemicals sector.
Although the outlook is promising, several factors will influence the pace of expansion.
The industry continues to face challenges including:
High capital investment requirements.
Competition for renewable feedstocks.
Regulatory approval processes.
Long-term sustainable aviation fuel demand.
Commercial competitiveness relative to conventional jet fuel.
Addressing these issues will be essential for broader deployment of ETJ technology in global aviation markets.
Brazil's large-scale ethanol-to-SAF project marks an important milestone for renewable fuels and bio-feedstock markets. By demonstrating commercial-scale ethanol conversion for aviation, the REPLAN investment highlights how renewable agricultural feedstocks are becoming increasingly valuable across multiple industrial sectors.
For procurement teams, the project reinforces the importance of monitoring bio-feedstock demand alongside developments in aviation, chemicals and energy markets. Companies with reliable ethanol supply, scalable production capacity and strong sustainability credentials are likely to become increasingly important participants in the expanding renewable fuels economy.
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