The plant’s location in Paulínia positions it within an emerging biomethane corridor in São Paulo’s interior. Ultragaz inaugurated its first proprietary biomethane fueling station in the same municipality in August 2026, installing capacity to supply 20,000 cubic meters daily to a fleet of up to 200 heavy vehicles. The fueling infrastructure serves logistics operations supporting 6,000 corporate clients monthly across São Paulo state, with associated trucks moving 9,300 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas between January and April 2026. Ultragaz projects 960 tonnes of annual direct CO2 emissions reduction from the biomethane conversion and plans to replicate the station model across additional Brazilian states.
Paulínia’s dual biomethane developments occur as municipal authorities evaluate establishment of a processing zone for export-oriented operations, potentially creating São Paulo state’s first such designated area. The municipality opened registration through August 30 to assess investor and enterprise interest in international trade activities, with data intended to inform economic development policy and potential federal applications for zone authorization.
The biomethane thermal plant’s integration into the Sistema Interligado Nacional adds firm, dispatchable capacity from renewable feedstock as Brazil expands intermittent solar and wind generation. The Plano Decenal de Expansão de Energia 2035 forecasts renewable sources exceeding 85 percent of Brazilian electricity generation by 2035, increasing system requirements for flexible generation resources capable of modulating output to match demand fluctuations when non-dispatchable sources experience reduced availability.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
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