Petrobras Launches Cardano Apps to Track Low-Carbon Fuels

Brazilian state-controlled energy giant Petrobras has introduced two blockchain applications built on Cardano to improve the traceability and verification of lower-carbon fuels.

The Cardano Foundation announced the projects in collaboration with Petrobras and Ledger Labs, the blockchain research center at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. The applications focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and Diesel R, a Petrobras diesel product containing renewable components.

The first Cardano-based application addresses a key challenge in the sustainable aviation fuel market: determining who can legitimately claim the environmental benefits associated with a specific amount of SAF.

Under the system, fuel certificates are first verified against standards including the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Relevant certificate attributes are then converted into blockchain-based tokens, creating an auditable record of environmental claims.

These tokens can subsequently be assigned to airlines or even individual passenger journeys, helping participants track which party receives the sustainability benefit tied to the fuel.

A second application uses Cardano blockchain technology to connect information generated throughout the renewable fuel lifecycle. The system links data covering production, transportation and the eventual consumption of the fuel, potentially improving transparency across the supply chain.

The initiative expands an existing relationship between Petrobras and Cardano. The Cardano Foundation first announced its partnership with the Brazilian energy company in December 2023, initially focusing on blockchain education. Petrobras employees received training on blockchain technology and potential enterprise applications.

Petrobras has also tested Cardano technology for internal administrative purposes and became the first Forbes 500 company to use Cardano infrastructure.

The latest projects do not mean Petrobras is adopting ADA, Cardano's native cryptocurrency, as a payment method. Instead, the company is using Cardano's blockchain as infrastructure for enterprise applications focused on fuel traceability and sustainability.

ADA was trading at approximately $0.245 at press time, giving the cryptocurrency a market capitalization of about $9.3 billion, according to CoinGecko data.