Certification guarantees that Petrobras only uses renewable energy

Petrobras acquired an international certification that guarantees that 100% of the electricity used in its industrial and administrative operations in Brazil is generated from renewable sources. The I-REC certification (‘Renewable Energy Certificate’) attests that the electricity purchased by Petrobras from external suppliers is generated exclusively from renewable sources, with emphasis on hydroelectric, wind and solar energy.

According to Petrobras, through its press office, the objective is to neutralize the so-called “scope 2” emissions. This term is used by industry worldwide for emissions associated with the consumption of energy obtained from an external supplier. The practice was incorporated by the company last year. The certificates were acquired from the main companies that supply electricity to Petrobras, which are AES Brasil, CPFL Soluções and Cemig.

The company also consumes electricity generated in its own facilities, such as platforms and refineries. In this case, the generation’s greenhouse gas emissions are considered “scope 1”, that is, they are direct emissions resulting from the company’s own operations.

Marco

In the opinion of the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, the neutralization of Scope 2 emissions constitutes a relevant milestone in the company’s energy transition journey. “And it shows that we are reaping concrete results on this journey, in partnership with our suppliers. It is an advance that makes us proud, proving that we remain determined to lead the energy transition in Brazil, hand in hand with the national production chain, and in tune with the demands of society”, exclaimed Prates.

I-REC certificates belong to energy generating companies and can be sold to consumers of these companies, interested in ensuring the renewable origin of the purchased energy. Petrobras’ Director of Energy Transition and Sustainability, Maurício Tolmasquim, confirmed that the purchase of the certificates is in line with the company’s goal of achieving neutrality in operating emissions by 2050. Tolmasquim added that the acquisition “reinforces our commitment to the decarbonization of our operations, contributing to a safe energy transition and to the generation of renewables in Brazil”.

The executive manager of Gas and Energy at Petrobras, Álvaro Tupiassu, reinforced the priority given by the company to the acquisition of renewable energy in the commercial environment of the free energy market. He believes that, through the certificates, the company took a step forward, guaranteeing that the electricity used for consumption in its own industrial and administrative units comes from a renewable source.

Decarbonization

The certificates are part of the first initiative that relied on resources from the Petrobras Decarbonization Fund. They cover 100% of the electricity purchased and correspond to all Scope 2 emissions from the company’s operations in Brazil. The executive manager of Climate Change and Decarbonization at Petrobras, Viviana Coelho, has no doubt that, with the purchase of certificates, a greater participation of renewables in the Brazilian energy matrix is ​​encouraged. According to Viviana, the action is part of the efforts of the Carbon Neutral Program, which seeks to identify paths towards neutrality, including, among other actions, greater electrification of Petrobras units and integration with renewable energies.

The Petrobras Decarbonization Fund aims to support actions to decarbonize the company’s operations in the exploration and production, refining, gas and energy and logistics segments. Petrobras’ commitment is, by 2030, to reduce its total operational emissions by 30%, compared to 2015 and, in the long term, to neutralize its operational emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, leading partners to follow the same purpose.