en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Maringá Energia II cogeneration project at the Jacarezinho sugar mill (Usina Jacarezinho), part of the Maringá Group (Grupo Maringá), has officially entered operation, doubling the mill's cogeneration capacity. The project involved an investment of 120 million reais and has an installed capacity of 50 megawatt-hours (MWh), of which 35 MWh will be allocated for electricity export.

The expansion generates power using sugarcane bagasse as fuel, integrating agricultural, industrial, and energy operations, enhancing mill efficiency while adding value to the sugar and ethanol production chain.

The investment comes as the Jacarezinho sugar mill celebrates its 80th anniversary. The mill is a benchmark for economic development in the pioneer region of northern Paraná, and this project also reflects the Maringá Group's investment strategy focused on innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable development.

The project began in 2021 and has now entered its second phase. Maringá Energia I was commissioned in 2021, marking the Maringá Group's entry into electricity generation and commercialization; with the completion of Phase II, the project's installed capacity has doubled, electricity exports have expanded, and the mill's operational efficiency has improved.

Maringá Group CFO Eduardo Lambiasi stated that Maringá Energia II represents another step in the development of the Jacarezinho sugar mill, combining industrial efficiency, biomass utilization, and sustainable development, reinforcing the long-term vision for the business and the region.

Ricardo Zanata, Operations Director for Sugar and Energy, noted that over the past eighty years, the Jacarezinho sugar mill has accompanied the transformation of the industry and the region; the commissioning of Maringá Energia II demonstrates that the company continues to invest in efficiency, sustainability, and development, maintaining a long-term vision for the business and the communities where it operates.

The Maringá Group operates across the sugar-energy, steel, and mining sectors, producing sugar, ethanol, yeast, electricity, and ferromanganese alloys for both domestic and international markets, as well as conducting manganese ore exploration, research, and mining.

In the sugar-energy segment, the Jacarezinho sugar mill boasts an 80-year tradition; in the steel segment, Maringá Ferro-Liga S.A., located in Itapeva, São Paulo State, has supplied ferroalloys to the steel industry for over 40 years; and since 2021, Mineração Moema, based in Pará State, has strengthened this business through the supply of high-grade manganese ore.