Córdoba’s bioenergy cluster selected by UN-ECLAC for bioeconomy acceleration program across Latin America

Córdoba’s Bioenergy Cluster secured selection by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean as one of seven South American initiatives chosen for the Program to Promote Bioeconomy and Circular Economy in Productive Articulation Initiatives. The public-private partnership managed by Hugo Dellavedova operates under the provincial Competitiveness Agency’s Córdoba Clúster program. Member companies span bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, biomass, industrial CO₂ capture, and organic waste management, including ACA Bio, Grupo Bio4, Promaíz, Porta Hnos, Las Chilcas, Prodeman, ENRECO, 3C Biogas, TIGONBU, Arbio, Maniagro Argentina, and Gas Carbonico Chiantore. The cluster has initiated a techno-economic feasibility study for eMethanol and bioMethanol production in the province.

The province concentrates 52 percent of Argentina’s bioethanol production through three major distilleries: ACA Bio in Villa María, a second-tier cooperative representing 50,000 producers from nine provinces; Bio4 in Río Cuarto, founded by 25 agricultural producers; and Promaíz in Alejandro Roca. Porta Hnos in the capital produces alcohol for medicinal, food, and cosmetic industries. Las Chilcas operates an on-farm bioethanol and biodiesel facility for self-consumption under the BIOCBA provincial program. The production chain extends beyond fuel through Bioeléctrica’s conversion of ethanol vinasse into electricity, while Prodeman Bioenergía and Biomasa Ticino thermal plants in General Cabrera and Ticino generate power from peanut shells, supplying 20,000 households combined. The province accounts for 75 percent of national peanut production.

Provincial Law 10,721, approved in November 2020, established mandatory migration of the public fleet to higher biological blends, competitive advantages in public works contracts for biofuel users, and fiscal incentives for the sector. The Provincial Directorate of Biofuels and Bioenergy, directed by Mariano Santillán, operates three Bio Points for fleet refueling with plans to expand to ten locations. State vehicles run on B20 diesel and E17 gasoline, formulations developed locally. In December 2024, Córdoba inaugurated the country’s first service station dispensing these blends to the general public.

The provincial government convened producers, chambers, and technical agencies at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Services to outline 2026 planning priorities. Santillán presented the Biodiesel Observatory’s findings, SWOT analysis, and support tools targeting SME producers facing logistical costs and regulatory requirements. Undersecretary for SMEs Segundo Sosa detailed fiscal programs scheduled for 2026 deployment. The 2026-2027 strategy targets value-added agricultural development, industrial growth, workforce qualification, and greenhouse gas emission reduction through progressive renewable energy integration across productive segments.