BBEST Study Tours
Scheduled visits to sugarmills, organized by the conference
Limited number of participants
TOUR to Iracema Sugarcane Mill and São Martinho Sugarcane Mill
Fields and Industrial Plants
Brazil is known for its highly sustainable energy matrix (47.4% renewable), with a large contribution from bioenergy. Brazil has the greatest proportion of cars running on biofuels globally, thanks mostly to sugarcane ethanol. Sugarcane biomass accounts for 15.4% of the total Brazilian energy output. This is possible because of long-term investments in science and technology and a modern bioenergy industry operating in the country.
Take the opportunity to visit modern sugarcane mills on these tours and get to know the reasons behind this success story, visiting the places where all this happens, including the largest sugarcane processing mill in the world.
São Martinho Group mills
São Martinho Group is among Brazil’s largest sugar and energy companies. The Group operates four mills: in Pradópolis, SP (São Martinho), Iracemápolis, SP (Iracema), Américo Brasiliense, SP (Santa Cruz), and Quirinópolis, GO (Boa Vista), in an area of 350.000 ha. It employs 12.5 thousand people and has the capacity to crush 24 million tonnes of sugarcane annually to produce sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity.
Both São Martinho and Iracema have modern industrial and field facilities. In addition, the São Martinho Mill in Pradópolis is the largest sugarcane processing mill in the world.
The São Martinho Group produces annually 1.3 million tonnes of sugar and 1.3 billion liters of ethanol. All fields are mechanically harvested without burning, leaving approximately 3.5 million tonnes of crop residues to recycle nutrients and protect the soil. All field and industry residues are recycled: 6 million tonnes of bagasse are used to produce heat and electricity (equivalent to 970 GWh) so that the plants are self-sufficient in energy and export the surplus to the Brazilian electric grid. Vinasse (13 billion liters), filter cake, and ashes are used as fertilizer in the fields. The group also plans to produce biomethane with vinasse and other organic residues.
To comply with the Brazilian Forest Code, mills must leave at least 25% of the area as natural vegetation, mostly native tree species. São Martinho Group has planted over 4 million trees and has a department devoted to producing seedlings and reforesting fields to meet legal regulations.
For more details, visit the São Martinho’s website:
Visit to Iracema
Visit to Iracema mill is scheduled for Friday, October 25th, 2024.
Tour 1. São Paulo to Iracemápolis (180km)
Visit to São Martinho
Visit to São Martinho mill is scheduled for Monday, October 28th, 2024.
Tour 2. From São Paulo to Ribeirão Preto (320km)
Program
Iracemapolis and São Martinho
Industrial tour – Sugarcane reception and crushing, automatized processes, sugar crystallization, ethanol production, best management processes, bagasse and energy production, water use efficiency
Agronomic tour – soil conservation and preparation, crop rotation, best management practices for high crop yields, use of residue, vinasse application, vinasse & fertilizer combined into organo-mineral formulations, biological pest management and control, mechanized harvest, vinasse digestion, forest recomposition, and other environment practices.
Tour 1 to Iracema Mill
located in Iracemápolis, near Limeira, SP
FRIDAY – October 25th, 2024
Cost: U$200 (Including transportation, breakfast bag, lunch)
| Friday, 25th October, 6h00 | Breakfast bags at the bus Depart from RENAISSANCE HOTEL by bus (c.a. 180 km to Iracemápolis). This trip will cross the mixed industrial and agricultural area that characterizes the State of São Paulo. |
| Friday, 25th October, 8h30 | Arrival at Iracema Sugar Mill |
| Friday, 25th October, 8h30 to 12h00 | Visit includes ● Overview of Iracema Mill & Company ● Sugarcane reception at the industrial plant ● Sugar and ethanol production and storage ● Sugarcane field operations ● Residue recycling and storage (yeast, vinasse, bagasse, filter cake) processing facilities. ● Fertilizer & vinasse plant ● Sugarcane field operations ● Forest recomposition, plant nurseries, and other sustainability actions. |
| Friday, 25th October, 12h00 to 13h30 | Lunch at a local restaurant (Estrela do Sul): see their Instagram and their Facebook. |
| Friday, 25th October, 13h45 | Depart from the restaurant to RENAISSANCE HOTEL |
| Friday, 25th October, 16h00 | Arrival in São Paulo, where the tour ends. |
BBEST coordinators of the trip: Raffaella Rossetto, Jaime Figueirut, Monalisa Carneiro
Tour 2 to São Martinho Mill
located in Pradópolis, SP (near Ribeirão Preto)
MONDAY – October 27th and 28th, 2024
Cost: U$300 (Including transportation, lunch on October 27th and 28th, and hotel Araucaria in Rib. Preto on October 27th)
| Sunday, 27th October, 8h00 | Depart from RENAISSANCE HOTEL by bus (320 km) This trip will cross the mixed industrial and agricultural area that characterizes the State of São Paulo |
| Sunday, 27th October, 13h00 | Arrival at Ribeirão Preto – lunch in a local restaurant Check-in at Hotel Araucária at 15h00 Free afternoon Dinner at 19:30 |
| Monday, 28th October, 7h00 to 12h00 | Depart from the hotel at 7h00 and arrive at 8h00 at the Mill Visit includes: ● Overview of São Martinho Mill & Company ● Sugarcane reception at the industrial plant ● Sugar and ethanol production and storage ● Residue recycling and storage (yeast, vinasse, bagasse, filter cake) processing facilities ● Sugarcane field operations ● Forest recomposition, plant nurseries, and other sustainability actions. ● Biological control |
| Monday, 28th October, 13h00 to 14h30 | Lunch at a local restaurant in Pradópolis |
| Monday, 28th October, 14h30 | Depart from the restaurant to RENAISSANCE HOTEL |
| Monday, 28th October, 20h00 | Arrival in São Paulo, where the tour ends. |
BBEST coordinators of the trip: Luciana Rossini, Valéria C. Santos e Danielle Pedrolli
More info: bbest@bbest.org.br
| Friday, 25th October, 6h00 | Breakfast bags at the bus Depart from RENAISSANCE HOTEL by bus (c.a. 180 km to Iracemápolis). This trip will cross the mixed industrial and agricultural area that characterizes the State of São Paulo. |
| Friday, 25th October, 8h30 | Arrival at Iracema Sugar Mill |
| Friday, 25th October, 8h30 to 12h00 | Visit includes ● Overview of Iracema Mill & Company ● Sugarcane reception at the industrial plant ● Sugar and ethanol production and storage ● Sugarcane field operations ● Residue recycling and storage (yeast, vinasse, bagasse, filter cake) processing facilities. ● Fertilizer & vinasse plant ● Sugarcane field operations ● Forest recomposition, plant nurseries, and other sustainability actions. |
| Friday, 25th October, 12h00 to 13h30 | Lunch at a local restaurant (Estrela do Sul): see their Instagram and their Facebook. |
| Friday, 25th October, 13h45 | Depart from the restaurant to RENAISSANCE HOTEL |
| Friday, 25th October, 16h00 | Arrival in São Paulo, where the tour ends. |
| Sunday, 27th October, 8h00 | Depart from RENAISSANCE HOTEL by bus (320 km) This trip will cross the mixed industrial and agricultural area that characterizes the State of São Paulo |
| Sunday, 27th October, 13h00 | Arrival at Ribeirão Preto – lunch in a local restaurant Check-in at Hotel Araucária at 15h00 Free afternoon Dinner at 19:30 |
| Monday, 28th October, 7h00 to 12h00 | Depart from the hotel at 7h00 and arrive at 8h00 at the Mill Visit includes: ● Overview of São Martinho Mill & Company ● Sugarcane reception at the industrial plant ● Sugar and ethanol production and storage ● Residue recycling and storage (yeast, vinasse, bagasse, filter cake) processing facilities ● Sugarcane field operations ● Forest recomposition, plant nurseries, and other sustainability actions. ● Biological control |
| Monday, 28th October, 13h00 to 14h30 | Lunch at a local restaurant in Pradópolis |
| Monday, 28th October, 14h30 | Depart from the restaurant to RENAISSANCE HOTEL |
| Monday, 28th October, 20h00 | Arrival in São Paulo, where the tour ends. |
BBEST coordinators of the trip: Raffaella Rossetto, Jaime Figueirut, Monalisa Carneiro
BBEST coordinators of the trip: Luciana Rossini, Valéria C. Santos e Danielle Pedrolli
More info: bbest@bbest.org.br