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Paulínia (SP), July 26, 2021 - As part of a pilot project for the development of a new energy matrix, Transportadora Cavalinho, in partnership with Scania, has deployed a natural gas-powered truck for the transportation of phenol produced in Paulínia (SP) by Rhodia, a company of the Solvay Group, to SI Group Crios Resinas, whose facilities are located in Rio Claro (SP).
In the first phase of the pilot project, the companies will evaluate the performance and behavior of the vehicle using an alternative fuel source on this route in São Paulo. The expectation is that the use of cleaner energy will allow for a monthly reduction of 90% in CO2 emissions, and the vehicles will become quieter during operation.
Monthly, the total distance traveled on the route between Rhodia's and SI Group Crios Resinas' factories is approximately 6,000 kilometers. Calculations by Transportadora Cavalinho indicate that emissions from diesel trucks reach 5.64 tons of CO2, while the natural gas truck emits only 0.56 tons of CO2.
According to Paulo Ossani, director of Transportadora Cavalinho, the adoption of new fuel alternatives in cargo transportation is a natural move for the sector. "Companies in the cargo transportation sector have been seeking to enhance sustainability in their operations through initiatives to reduce, compensate, and/or neutralize carbon emissions. We will increasingly see the use of various alternative fuel sources in production chains," says Ossani.
The Scania truck used in this project features a gas-powered mechanical horse with EURO 6 technology, in accordance with the eighth phase of the Proconve - Vehicle Emissions Control Program.
According to Reginaldo Lazari, Supply Chain Manager for Rhodia in Latin America, the pilot project received approval from the company after a rigorous safety evaluation process for transportation. "We have very rigorous procedures, which the cargo transportation market has recognized for many decades," he said, adding that Crios, a customer of Rhodia's phenol, also gave a favorable opinion on the natural gas transportation project.
Phenol is one of the main chemical products manufactured by Rhodia at a state-of-the-art industrial unit in the company's chemical complex in Paulínia (SP). It has applications in various markets, being used in the production of phenolic resins used by foundry, automotive, and wood industries. It is also a fundamental input in the industrial chain of polyamide (nylon) in Brazil, serving as a chemical intermediate for the production of polymers and textile fibers.
