From Trash to Fuel: Orizon (ORVR3) Unveils Massive Biomethane Project Serving 2.5 Million Brazilians

Brazilian waste management company Orizon dedicated a new biomethane plant at its Ecoparque Jaboatão facility located in Greater Recife Pernambuco through a financial commitment of 258 million reais which equals 51.6 million dollars. The facility transforms organic waste into biomethane which the company then supplies through its pipeline system to serve residential and industrial customers.

The plant began its construction process during May 2024 and finished building work by December 2025. The facility operates at a daily renewable gas output capacity of 108.000 cubic meters. Orizon CEO Milton Pilão reported that the company currently produces between 70.000 and 80.000 cubic meters of gas but plans to increase this output to 130000 cubic meters within one year and 150.000 cubic meters after two years.

The project handles 3.500 tons of waste material every day because it serves 2.5 million residents from Recife and adjacent municipalities. According to Priscila Krause who serves as Pernambuco's Vice-Governor and attended the inauguration ceremony Copergás will receive 5 of its entire gas distribution total from the biomethane which will be injected into the Copergás network. Copergás allocated 25 million reais to develop its pipeline system connecting to the Orizon facility.

Pilão also announced plans for three additional biomethane plants in Brazil's Northeast, specifically in Maceió (Alagoas), Aracaju (Sergipe), and João Pessoa (Paraíba), where Orizon operates landfills. Each of these future plants is estimated to require an investment of around 150 million reais, totaling approximately 450 million reais ($90 million), and are expected to become operational within the next two years.

The Ecoparque Jaboatão, which has been operating as a landfill for many years, received financing for the biomethane plant from Banco do Nordeste (BNB). The facility holds authorization from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) to produce and commercialize biomethane since 2025. The ecopark spans 1.1 million square meters, receives over 550 trucks daily, and features Latin America's largest Mechanized Sorting Unit (UTM) and a 28.5 MW thermoelectric plant that converts biogas into electricity.

Orizon establishes itself as a major waste management company which operates 18 ecoparks throughout 12 Brazilian states to create waste valorization solutions that produce biomethane, biogas, recyclables, organic fertilizers, and carbon credits. Pilão explained that the "fuel of the future" laws which require natural gas pipelines to contain 10% biomethane create a market demand for biofuels which need governmental backing.

Renato Dutra, National Secretary of Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels, representing Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira, explained that the market would control how fast biomethane became more widely used. Orizon plans to develop liquefaction systems which will enable them to provide service to customers who lack access to their current gas pipeline system as part of their strategy to extend biomethane distribution across the entire country.

Edge and Orizon Open Brazil’s Largest Biomethane Facility to Supply Industry and Transport

The biomethane plant, which Edge and Orizon opened last Saturday, serves as the company's largest facility and helps Brazil reach its energy transition goals while producing sustainable fuel. The facility, which operates in Paulínia, São Paulo state, located in southeastern Brazil, achieves a daily output of 225,000 cubic meters (m³/day), which supports the fuel needs of more than 1,000 urban buses.

The OneBio plant operates within an Ecopark that Edge (51%) and Orizon Valorização de Resíduos (49%) established as a joint project. The plant generates biomethane through its biogas treatment process, which extracts gas from urban solid waste streams. The plant operates its gas distribution system through existing pipeline connections while Edge manages its sales operations. Unilever has established a biomethane provision contract with Edge to support decarbonization efforts at its soap production facility located in Valinhos, São Paulo.

São Paulo leads Brazil in biomethane production, accounting for approximately half of the national capacity with nine operational units. The state currently has a production capacity of around 700,000 m³/day and expects to exceed 800,000 m³/day by December 2026, with a potential of 6.4 million m³/day.

The state expansion of natural gas and biomethane vehicle adoption proceeds through three policies which include environmental licensing simplification, natural gas and biomethane vehicle tax exemptions, and the "Conecta Biometano SP" platform. A 2025 regulation by ARSESP facilitates plant interconnection to the gas network, with costs covered by suppliers, aligning with the State Climate Change Policy (PEMC) and State Energy Plan (PEE 2050).

Biomethane functions as an industrial material which substitutes natural gas for two purposes. The FIESP study indicates that over 80% of São Paulo's biomethane potential lies in the sugar-energy sector which processes vinasse and filter cake and bagasse and straw.

Grupo Marquise in Ceará plans to spend R$100 million which equals $20 million USD for a new project that will create biomethane through solid waste processing at their Aquiraz landfill site. The GNR Fortaleza plant in Caucaia operates as the biggest facility of its type in North and Northeast regions because it produces 110000 m³ of output daily through its collaboration between Marquise Ambiental and Ecometano.

Cummins Brasil has begun field testing its B6.7N Otto cycle engine which represents the company's first medium engine designed for urban use that operates on natural gas and biomethane. This initiative supports Cummins' global "Destination Zero" strategy and provides an urban transport solution which operates more quietly and efficiently while meeting Euro VI and Proconve P8 standards through its dedicated system for continuous performance improvement.