Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned oil and gas company, has introduced a new blockchain platform built on Cardano to track the environmental credentials associated with its production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This initiative, named CS-SAF, has been developed in partnership with the Cardano Foundation and Ledger Labs at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio).
Platform for tracking fuel sustainability
The CS-SAF platform operates through a book-and-claim approach, which separates the environmental benefits of SAF from the physical supply chain. Under this model, buyers can purchase the sustainability attributes of certified fuel even if they do not receive the physical product directly, enabling wider access to green fuel claims.
Digital tokens are issued on Cardano, each representing specific certified attributes of sustainable aviation fuel that comply with CORSIA requirements. The platform verifies official certificates before minting tokens, then allocates these tokens to airlines or individuals based on emission calculations. Once a sustainability claim is made, the associated token is retired and recorded on-chain.
Petrobras’s new system aims to provide a transparent registry that details the origin of sustainability attributes, the recipients, and whether the claims have already been used. Accurate records are essential due to the separation of environmental claims from fuel delivery, and blockchain provides immutable tracking and transparency.
Mini dictionary: CORSIA, or Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, is a global framework created by the International Civil Aviation Organization to limit net carbon emissions from international flights. Only sustainable aviation fuels certified through approved systems are eligible under CORSIA.
An application developed as part of CS-SAF also allows passengers to claim tokens and receive digital certificates, tying their air travel to certified emission reductions. Petrobras manufactures SAF at its Duque de Caxias refinery, using both petroleum and renewable resources in the production process.
Certification and ongoing challenges
Petrobras’s sustainable aviation fuel is officially certified for CORSIA compliance, with verification undertaken through recognized sustainability frameworks. These frameworks require detailed evidence of feedstocks, production methods, and lifecycle carbon emissions, with certification audits remaining central to the governance of SAF claims.
Although blockchain records can help trace sustainability certificates after they are issued, these records do not replace the comprehensive certification process required for regulatory compliance.
The CS-SAF case study made no mention of specific airline customers, exact volumes of tracked fuel, or the total number of retired sustainability claims. Availability of such data would indicate the scale of adoption and practical use of Cardano’s blockchain in managing sustainable aviation fuel attributes.
| Platform | Fuel Tracking Method | Certification Compliance | Data Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS-SAF (Petrobras) | Blockchain (Cardano) | CORSIA Certified | Fuel volumes and users undisclosed |
Tokenization models are currently being explored across various assets and industries, including in financial sectors where tokenized stocks are used as collateral. In the case of CS-SAF, future disclosures regarding transaction volumes and audit processes may provide deeper insights into the practical benefits and performance of blockchain-based sustainability claims.
Currently, the CS-SAF platform functions as a technical research initiative for tracing the history of certified fuel claims. It is not yet recognized by regulators as sufficient proof for CORSIA reporting; certification protocols remain the main authority for validating sustainable fuel claims.
