Bandeira and Capelli Renewable Biomass Fuel Switch The project

Bandeira and Capelli
Renewable Biomass Fuel Switch
The Bandeira and Capelli Renewable Biomass Fuel Switch Project, located in Alagoas, northeast Brazil,
enables two small ceramics factories to switch to renewable biomass to provide thermal energy for the kilns.
Previously the kilns were heated from native wood, which had a negative impact on the important Atlantic
Forest and Caatinga biomes. The project is verified and validated to the Verified Carbon Standard and has also
been verified to the Social Carbon Standard.
The project and emission reductions
The Bandeira factory produces primarily red bricks, while
Capelli manufactures mostly roof tiles – both for markets in
the state of Alagoas and other regions in Brazil’s northeast.
The use of wood from non-sustainable sources is common
practice in the Brazilian ceramics sector; however, with the
help of carbon finance, the factories have switched to using
renewable biomass resources which include coconut husk,
sugar cane bagasse, sawdust and sustainably harvested
bamboo. This fuel switching project will help lower greenhouse
gas emissions by reducing unsustainable harvesting of the
native vegetation. Combined, these two sites will reduce
emissions by approximately 30,000 tonnes CO2e per year.
The Caatinga Biome, the factory’s traditional fuel sourcing
area, is semi-arid shrub land and the ecosystem is home to
many unique species: the Caatinga Biosphere Reserve (2008)
identifies 148 species of mammals, 348 of birds, 154 of reptiles
and amphibians, 185 of fish and 5,344 species of flora.
However, the Caatinga is also one of the most threatened
ecosystems and is highly susceptible to desertification
and erosion. This has resulted in the extinction of many
species and the welfare of several others, such as the
three-banded-armadillo, lesser anteater, puma and araripe
manakin, is under substantial threat.
The Atlantic Forest, another pressured source of fuel
and the second largest rain forest in South America, has
experienced severe habitat loss and fragmentation due to
conversion to pastures, croplands, and urban areas. Just over
10% of the original forest cover remains, with deforestation
rates continuing to rise from 0.5% to 3%. The area is
considered a biodiversity hotspot due to this high vulnerability
but also due to its high species richness and endemism.
The CarbonNeutral Company - a world-leading provider of carbon reduction solutions
London T: +44 20 7833 6000 E: [email protected]
New York T: 1-646-367-5800 E: [email protected]
The region
The state of Alagoas is one of the poorest in the
country, ranking last out of 27 Brazilian states on the Human
Development Index (HDI) - a global comparative measure
of life expectancy, literacy, education, living standards and
quality of life. The largest component of Alagoas’s GDP
is the services sector, followed by the industrial sector
and agriculture. Alagoas is one of the largest producers of
sugarcane and coconuts in the country; the waste from
these agricultural products produces a plentiful fuel source.
www.carbonneutral.com
The technology
Biomass is all living matter including plants, crops, trees
and waste products from agricultural processes and
milling. Biomass can substitute fossil fuels – either in part or
in full – to generate electricity, heat or both (known as
co-generation). Waste material such as coconut husks and
cashew nut shells are a renewable source of biomass as
they are by-products of existing processes. The project
developer may also choose to use biomass from
forest plantations with sustainable management practices.
The practices ensure, in particular, that the level of
carbon stocks on these land areas does not
systematically decrease over time and that the amount
of carbon sequestered while growing is the same as the
amount it produces when burned.
Additional benefits
In addition to the emission reduction benefit, the project is also
registered under the Social Carbon Standard, which helps
measure its contribution to sustainable development. Under
Social Carbon, the project commits to setting goals against
a set of sustainable development indicators, which are
continuously assessed through annual monitoring and
verification. As part of this, the project has contributed a
number of benefits for employees, surrounding communities,
and the environment:
• Partnered with the Instituto para preservação da Mata
Atlântica (IPMA) or Rainforest Preservation Institute to help
establish a Private Nature Heritage Reserve; specifically, the
factory donated 64ha of land to create the reserve in
Capella
The Bandiera Ceramics factory uses Hoffman kilns
while the Capelli factory uses round and tunnel kilns, all
commonly used in the ceramics industry in Brazil. As part
of the fuel switch project, some technology improvements
were initiated, which have led to improved combustion and
a significant reduction in ashes produced. Any remaining
ashes are incorporated into the clay for the ceramics. This
improved process and use of ashes has led to significant
improvements in the air quality around the production
areas.
Location
Both factories located in, Alagoas, Brazil
NORTH
ATLANTIC OCEAN
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIA
•
The project-IPMA partnership is also helping reintroduce
the Mutum-de-Alagoas, a native bird of the Atlantic
Rainforest, which today only exists in captivity (categorised
as ‘Extinct in the Wild’ by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN))
• Partnered with the local government to plant ~1,500 native
trees in the Capella municipality
•
Partnered with Social Service for Industry (SESI) to help
provide employees with a literacy programme offering three
hour classes, five times a week, and providing improved
health programmes with weekly doctor visits for medical
and dental care
• Donated money to the local church and carnival
PERU
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
CHILE
SOUTH
ATLANTIC OCEAN
SOUTH
PACIFIC
OCEAN
ARGENTINA
• Helped rebuild household bathrooms throughout the
community
URUGUAY
• Provides a football school for children in the local
communities and children of employees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brazilian_federative_units_by_Human_Development_Index
1
The CarbonNeutral Company - a world-leading provider of carbon reduction solutions
London T: +44 20 7833 6000 E: [email protected]
New York T: 1-646-367-5800 E: [email protected]
www.carbonneutral.com