Brazil’s state energy company Petrobras has reportedly approved a Final Investment Decision (FID) to build a bio-jet fuel and renewable diesel production plant at its RPBC refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo state. The investment is reported at approximately $1.2 billion.
The new plant will produce a combined 15,000 barrels per day (bpd) of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and renewable diesel. It will be built within the existing RPBC refinery site, with construction targeted to begin in late 2026 and start-up targeted for 2030.
The investment is approximately $1.2 billion, with combined SAF and renewable diesel capacity of 15,000 bpd. Construction is targeted to begin in late 2026, with start-up targeted for 2030.
In response to Brazil’s renewable fuel blending mandates and rising global demand for SAF from the aviation industry, Petrobras is reported to be expanding renewable fuel production capacity by leveraging its existing refinery site.
The approval of an investment combining renewable fuel units with an existing refinery by a South American state energy company illustrates that renewable fuel conversion investment is now moving forward in earnest across Brazil’s and the broader South American refining industry.
Whether construction actually begins as targeted in late 2026, the feasibility of meeting the 2030 start-up target, and the production split between SAF and renewable diesel warrant continued monitoring once confirmed.