Powering a carbon neutral society by zero emissions biofuels
STEX is a spin-off of a group that in Brazil from 2012 to 2017 developed the process for obtaining Bioethanol from Eucalyptus waste. In 2015 we found that Europe had a more mature legal framework and untapped opportunities for the implementation of our concept of Biorefineries (small scale, flexible and modular). In 2019 we entered into a technological partnership with LNEG (National Laboratory for Energy and Geology), opened a new 100% Portuguese company and started operating within the LNEG facilities in Lisbon a pilot plant.
Our core technology will contribute to the transition to a carbon-neutral society through emission-neutral liquid biofuels made from waste, be it forestry residual biomass (MSW), agricultural biomass, or municipal solid waste (MSW).
In the case of BRF, we intend to change the way we look at forest exploitation. Today the logs are used for the paper and sawmill industry and the BRF is seen as a painful fraction that needs to be removed due to fire prevention obligations. These still happen, unfortunately, and the BRF is only used for direct burning. Our proposal is to extract useful products, such as Bioethanol, before burning, increasing the added value, creating new markets, and generating jobs, while maintaining the sustainability of the forest.
In the case of MSW, in Portugal, more than 50% is still disposed of in landfills. Our technology makes it possible to produce bioethanol from this waste, in addition to compost and biomethane, in a process that has been fully developed with LNEG. So it is possible to “attack” two problems at once: reduce MSW through its valorization and contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
