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Waste To Energy Provides Solutions for Pollution, Energy Supply

Guillermina Robles - Bravo Energy
General Manager

STORY INLINE POST

Karin Dilge By Karin Dilge | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Fri, 01/13/2023 - 17:01

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Q: Why did Bravo Energy decide to expand into Mexico?

A: Bravo Energy started in the 1980s in the US as an oil products trading company. We built our first Latin American waste treatment plant in Chile, which recycles used lubricating oil and provides a final-destination treatment for other hazardous waste. We then opened a second, similar plant in Argentina. Mexico became the company’s third Latin American operation. The size of the Mexican market and the proximity to the US were attractive incentives. Since then, Mexico has become our largest operation in Latin America. In terms of production capacity, the treatment plant in Queretaro produces more than the treatment plants in Chile and Argentina combined. 

Upon entering Mexico, we chose to establish ourselves in Queretaro. This city has a strategic location with excellent connectivity to the country's main highways. Most of our production goes to ports to be used by ships. Queretaro has the shortest distance to the Manzanillo, Veracruz, Mazatlan and Tampico ports.  

Q: What are the advantages the biofuels produced by Bravo Energy provide in terms of energy costs? 

A: The product Bravo Energy makes is a unique, high-quality alternative fuel. Mexico has regulations that limit the sulfur content in alternative fuels to 0.5 percent. Bravo Energy’s fuel has just 0.2 percent sulfur. This provides a great deal of value for the market, where we have observed a high demand for our product. In the absence of a direct competitor in the Mexican market, the alternative for Bravo’s fuel would be to purchase diesel but our comparative price is much lower. Nevertheless, the fuel is not a direct substitute for diesel but a product with a specific application. 

Q: What is the environmental impact of alternative fuels?

A: There is no specific regulation regarding this matter. Alternative fuels range from a mixture of residues to a refined product, as is the case with Bravo Energy. Our main differentiator is that our fuel comes from waste. We are authorized by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) for the treatment and recycling of hazardous waste, and used oil, specifically. Bravo Energy collects the oil directly from its customers, of which it has more than a thousand. Any company that generates used lubricating oil in its operations is a potential customer. We work with the mining, automotive and maintenance services sectors, among others. The key part of our value proposition is to take waste and grant it a new life through refining, turning it into clean fuel. Bravo Energy promotes economic development through the circular economy. All existing production activities create a certain amount of waste. Therefore, we must find a way to make the most out of it and avoid discarding further pollution into the environment. 

Q: What safety measures does Bravo Energy implement to successfully collect and manage industrial waste? 

A: The main measure is the training of our personnel. The work we do is tailored to each client's needs. For oil collection, the team consists of a collector and an assistant. Both are trained in handling hazardous waste and transport management, as well as using personal protective equipment and tools. Only through training can the risk associated with industrial waste-handling operations be reduced to a minimum. We also have a division in charge of monitoring operations and ensuring that the company’s equipment complies with regulation at all times. 

Q: Apart from oils, what other waste can be transformed into energy? 

A: One niche in high demand and where Bravo Energy is looking to expand is the treatment of polluted water. Water can be reused, so technically it cannot be seen as waste but it is a fundamental element that must be treated correctly to make its use more efficient within production processes.

All waste that has been permeated with materials with calorific value will always have a potential for transformation and therefore a market, because it can then be used as an alternative fuel. 

Bravo Energy would like to have its own water treatment plant since we use a large amount of water in our processes. From there, we can begin to treat it further and offer the service to other potential customers. 

Q: How could a greater promotion of alternative fuels drive a faster energy transition?

A: The problem in Mexico is that direct competition in the hydrocarbons sector is not allowed, as the oil industry is key to economic activity and is a major part of the national identity. It is difficult to enter the market with an offer that promises to reduce the use of hydrocarbons. Bravo Energy's advantage is that its product does not compete directly with hydrocarbons. However, alternative fuels produced from industrial waste have all the potential to compete in the energy market and industrial processes, where they can offset polluting fossil fuels. 

Q: How can alternative fuels become more economically attractive to companies interested in seeking alternatives to hydrocarbons? 

A: Firstly, companies must know their equipment and machinery in depth. We have been approached by several transportation companies that want to use our fuel as a substitute for diesel. This is not optimal, since our fuel is not a direct substitute for this solution and could damage equipment if used incorrectly. Our fuel has been very successful in the marine market, where the specifications of each type of fuel are exceptionally clear. Bravo Energy's fuel is classified as a Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO). In addition, we are making headway with drilling fluids. The way to move from hydrocarbons to alternative fuels is through analysis, testing and technological adaptation of equipment to ensure the best use of these new alternatives.

 

Bravo Energy is a US company founded in 1988 and a leading waste-to-energy player in Latin America, specializing in the processing of used oil and its transformation into an energy resource. The company has three treatment plants located in Chile, Argentina and Mexico.

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