Brazil still has a lot of dependence on fossil fuels. According to the National Energy Balance of 2020, drawn up by the Energy Research Company (EPE), linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), renewable sources correspond to only 45% of the national energy matrix. Among non-renewable sources, oil, which corresponds to 34% of the matrix, and natural gas (12%). This, consumed mainly by industry (43%) and electrical generation (38%).
Having sustainability and innovation in processes such as some of its commitments, Wheaton, national leader company and one of the largest glass packaging manufacturers for the perfumery and cosmetics segment in the world, will use biomethane as a power supply. With this, the company will be the first glass industry to use this renewable fuel in the world.
Renato Massara Júnior, Commercial and Marketing Director of Wheaton, explains that the adoption of this new energy source is in harmony with the work done by the company.
“Sustainability, innovation and technology are among the company’s pillars and also our main customers. And that was a project that left us in love. Therefore, we decided to make Wheaton a pioneer in this sense, in incorporating biomethane to our production, “he says.
The marketing of biomethane for Wheaton will be made possible by ZEG, a company specializing in the production of renewable energy. Daniel Rossi, ZEG CEO, explains that “the replacement of fossil fuel in Wheaton’s glass production will spare the issue of approximately 7,000 tons of CO2 in one year, which is equivalent to more than 50,000 planted trees”
The ZEG executive also emphasizes that “gasbio”, name of the renewable product that will be provided, is produced through the sustainable reuse of urban waste in a landfill located in Sapopemba, East Side district of São Paulo.
Biomethane
According to the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), biomethane “is a gas biofuel obtained from biogas processing.” Biogas is a renewable and sustainable energy source, since it is produced by anaerobic digestion (decomposition by bacteria) of organic materials such as agricultural waste, animal manure, domestic sewage and residents.
Among the sectors using biomethane are the vehicular, residential, commercial and industrial.
Massara emphasizes that biogas will be used in generating the energy part of industry furnaces, making the company pioneer in this sector. The use of this fuel is a novelty in glass factories, since its use is more common in agriculture.
Wheaton currently operates four continuous furnaces with a production capacity of 1 billion bottles per year, or 370 tons of glass per day. In all, there are 23 production lines, between machines I.S., in blown-blowing and pressed-blown processes, and rotating presses, in the pressed process.
“Despite the glass packaging is 100% recyclable and reused infinitely, for its production is still consumed natural gas. Therefore, the arrival of biogas instead of natural gas part, makes the glass an even more sustainable product. We believe that biogas will soon also become economically more advantageous, contributing to increase the competitiveness of Brazilian glass in the world market, “says Renato.
Benefits of the supply of biomethane
The partnership between Wheaton and Zeg guarantees the supply of up to 10,500 cubic meters daily from renewable product, with a cost similar to the distributed natural gas in São Paulo.
“The exchange for the renewable fuel of the Zeg can also add mark value to the glass industry, which has in its portfolio customers recognized with sustainability,” complements Rossi.
According to the ZEG CEO, Wheaton will have the advantage of obtaining a fuel produced, compressed and distributed by road modal at a distance of less than 40 kilometers from its place of use, enabling the circular economy and the distributed generation of energy.
“Zeg was born in order to offer this type of custom customer solution, with sustainable and decentralized energy, without needing a large and costly logistics infrastructure,” says the executive.
Massara complements that this is an important step for Wheaton and that everyone is satisfied by the decision. “Brazil has a potential for incredible renewable energy production. Betting on this type of matrix is to ensure a bit of our future, “he says.
About Wheaton
With over a century of experience in the production of glass packaging, and present in Brazil for 68 years, Wheaton is a national leader and one of the largest facilities in the world specialized in the supply of glass packaging, serving the most important companies in the segments of glass. perfumery and cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food, exporting to several countries.
The high capacity for daily production of glass packaging, decoration and manufacture of molds and equipment in the São Bernardo do Campo industrial park allows the company to offer complete solutions and with a shorter response time to market needs, always innovating in concepts, technology, service, design and sustainability.
Access:
Site: https://www.wheaton.com.br/
Wheaton Oficial: https://www.instagram.com/wheatonoficial/
Wheaton Brasil Vidros: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wheaton/
About ZEG:
ZEG is a company of the Capitale Group dedicated exclusively to renewable energy solutions, which brings together projects at four business fronts – solar, water, biogas and waste recovery. Since its launch, in 2018, the company seeks to position itself in a unique way in the renewable energy market, offering creative solutions of circular economy, sustainability and energy generation projects. The solutions offered by ZEG are aimed at meeting two important challenges in the infrastructure area: increasing the demand for renewable energy and the need to manage increasing amounts of waste, responsible for about 10% of gas emissions.
Site ZEG Biogás: https://www.zegbiogas.com.br/
Site ZEG: https://www.zeg.com.br/