Brazil: Lages Methane Avoidance Project

The Brazil: Lages Methane Avoidance Project has been implemented in a cogeneration facility located in Lages, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, whose economy is based on the wood industry that uses timber from planted forests. The project has been under operation by Lages Bioenergética Ltd., a Special Purpose Company fully owned by Tractebel Energia SA., that was constituted to build, operate and maintain the Lages Project. The objective of the Lages Project’s cogeneration facility has been to provide electric and thermal energy (process steam) from biomass comprising of wasted wood not used by local timber industries before the project implementation. By reducing the unused amount of wood waste in a region with expanding wood industries, the project has contributed to the improvement of the conditions of residues disposal, as well as to other environmental improvements. The project has also contributed to the mitigation of the GHG emissions by reducing the methane production from wood waste piles. The biomass presents a great advantage for the country in terms of diversifying energy supply and has a positive impact on the local economy, including the direct and indirect generation of jobs.