By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s development bank, BNDES, approved a R$ 300 million (about $ 52 million) loan to finance the expansion of Neomille S.A.’s corn-based ethanol plant in Chapadão do Céu, Goiás. The project will raise the unit’s production capacity to 527,000 cubic meters of ethanol per harvest, 265,000 tons of DDGS (dried distillers grains with solubles) used in animal nutrition, and 21,000 tons of corn oil per year.
The investment includes R$ 240 million from the government’s Climate Fund and R$ 60 million from the BNDES Finem Incentivized credit line. According to Neomille, the expanded facility will prevent about 101,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent in annual greenhouse gas emissions and create 91 permanent jobs. During construction, as many as 277 temporary indirect positions will be generated.
“This project aligns with the goals of the New Industry Brazil (NIB) plan, as it strengthens the country’s biofuels chain and supports the transition to cleaner energy,” said BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante. “It also contributes to decarbonization through the production of renewable fuels.”
Renato Pretti, CEO of CerradinhoBio — Neomille’s parent company — said the expansion consolidates the group’s growth strategy. “The support from BNDES allows us to advance a project that combines production scale, operational efficiency, and lower emissions, fully aligned with Brazil’s energy transition agenda,” he said.
Neomille is part of CerradinhoBio, a 100% Brazilian-owned group listed on B3 that produces ethanol, sugar, corn coproducts, and electricity from corn and sugarcane. The company operates in Chapadão do Céu (GO) and Maracaju (MS), processing 1.5 million tons of corn and 6.1 million tons of sugarcane annually.
Read more: Corn Chemistry