Just three months after launching its first Brazilian site, French greentech start-up NetZero is already expanding its presence in the country with a second biochar factory in Brejetuba, in the state of Espírito Santo.
NetZero, which specializes in turning agricultural waste into biochar, is the leading manufacturer of its kind operating in the tropical regions. The upcoming facility is currently in the early stages of construction and is planned to commence operations by early 2024.
The new plant will be strategically located 25 kilometers away from the first site, enabling the R&D team to work more efficiently and speed up technological advancements. This proximity will showcase the practicality of the NetZero model of work, which reduces the value chain of biochar and optimizes operations by constructing medium-sized production units near biomass sources.
Another factor that influenced the location was the opportunity for NetZero to continue its collaboration with Coocafé, its prtner on the original site. The partnership will allow the use of the already established mechanism for quickly onboarding new coffee farmers into the project.
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In their shared effort, Coocafé will take on the mission to recover the residue generated by coffee dehusking so it can be used to manufacture biochar. The partnership unites more than 10,000 coffee farmers, who can benefit from the biochar produced to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance crop production.
NetZero gained momentum after receiving support from three prominent industrial stakeholders a few months ago: Stellantis, L’Oréal, and CMA CGM. The steady growth of the start-up was catalyzed by the Musk Foundation’s XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition, where NetZero was recognized as one of the 15 global most promising carbon removal projects globally, thanks to its pilot Cameroon site.
The new factory will generate 4,500 metric tons of biochar annually and wil enable the extraction of the equivalent of more than 6,500 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, offering a sustainable soil supplement for agricultural purposes.
Read more: NetZero Biochar Carbon Removal Startup Raises €11M In Series A
