The Vice Governor of Santa Fe, Gisela Scaglia, and the Minister of Productive Development, Gustavo Puccini, attended the Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Summit on Tuesday at La Fluvial de Rosario. The event, which was part of Climate Week, gathered representatives from government, business, academia, and civil society from various countries to discuss biofuels in the Americas.
The production challenge
In his speech, Scaglia said that a new biofuels law is necessary and should be approached with a productive vision. "It has to increase the cut and allow companies to produce more. If we produce more and can sell more, the production scheme will change," she said.
The deputy governor recalled that the agricultural sector has evolved beyond grain exports. She pointed out that biotechnology, food industrialisation and the incorporation of biofuels have transformed the provincial production matrix. "Biodiesel is adding value to what we produce in our fields and in our interior," she remarked.
Increased production and greater foreign currency earnings
For his part, Puccini highlighted the importance of the debate being held in Santa Fe, a leading province in biodiesel. He explained that the Summit offers a space for exchange between producers, chambers and specialists from different countries. "It is a propitious environment to discuss the new biofuels law, which is being worked on in Congress," he said.
The minister recalled that the province is part of the Bioenergy League, along with Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Salta and Tucumán, which provide different inputs to the chain: soya in the case of Santa Fe, corn in Córdoba and Tucumán, and sugar cane in the north.
In addition, he stressed that a renewed regulation will not only increase production but also foreign exchange earnings. "A new biofuels law will generate more production and more foreign currency," he said.
Puccini also made reference to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). He recalled that YPF concluded an agreement with a private company to reactivate a refinery in San Lorenzo, which will be transformed into a biorefinery. According to him, the objective is to produce 100% SAF aviation fuel for export.
Idle Capacity in Relation to International Markets
The minister warned that, despite Santa Fe's leadership in this area, the sector is facing difficulties. He acknowledged that international prices generated a negative semester and that there is an idle capacity of more than 80%. "That is the challenge: to take advantage of the plants already installed when the world demands energy. We need to increase the cut in the local market and, at the same time, open new international markets that allow us to market our biofuels," he said.
An international summit
The Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Summit is organised by the Pan-American Liquid Biofuels Coalition (Cpbio) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), with the support of the Fundación Nueva Generación Argentina (FNGA). Key entities of the agro-industrial chain such as Acsoja, Carbio, the Chamber of Corn Bioethanol, Ciara, Maizar and the Argentine Sugar Centre (CAA) are also collaborating.
The meeting, which is being held in parallel to Climate Week, seeks to outline joint strategies to strengthen biofuel production in the region and move towards a more sustainable energy matrix.
