Bioelectricity is a clean and renewable energy source produced from biomass, primarily using sugarcane bagasse and straw.
In addition to meeting the internal energy demands of sugar mills, sugarcane bagasse has been used to generate surplus electricity since the 1980s, which is supplied to the Brazilian power grid.
In 2024, sugarcane residues accounted for 75% of all bioelectricity fed into the grid, totaling 21,218 GWh.
This volume is equivalent to:
How Bioelectricity
is Produced
Bioelectricity generated by the sugarcane sector is considered non-intermittent and is primarily produced during the sugarcane harvest season in Brazil’s Center-South region. This period, from May to November, aligns with the driest and most critical months for the national electricity system. In 2024, 84% of the sector’s bioelectricity supplied to the grid was generated between May and November – a figure that rises to 92% when including April, the traditional start of the harvest.
The nearly 21,000 GWh of bioelectricity delivered to the grid by the sugarcane sector translated into energy savings equivalent to 15 percentage points of the total storage capacity in hydroelectric reservoirs in the Southeast/Central-West submarket. This contribution is especially valuable during the dry season, thanks to the higher predictability and availability of sugarcane-based bioelectricity.
Green Energy Seal
Green Energy Seal certifies companies that produce and consume clean, renewable energy. The program was developed by the Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association (UNICA) in partnership with the Electric Energy Trading Chamber (CCEE in Protuguese)
