Petrobras to Pilot Cardano for Monitoring Low-Carbon Aviation Fuel and Diesel Supply Chain

Petrobras has partnered with the Cardano Foundation and PUC-Rio to create two applications currently in the research phase aimed at tracking environmental claims for sustainable aviation fuel alongside lifecycle data for its renewable-content Diesel R.

The Cardano Foundation disclosed the projects on September 30, illustrating initiatives developed through its ongoing research collaboration with Brazil’s state-run energy firm and PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs. Both projects are still in the research stage, with no commercial launch date announced.

Cardano Links Aviation Claims to Fuel Certificates

As part of the aviation project’s Book-and-Claim model, an airline can obtain the environmental benefits associated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) even if another operator utilizes the actual fuel, according to the announcement.

For each allocation, the Foundation notes that Cardano tracks the origin and recipient of the benefit, enabling participants to trace a claim back to its corresponding fuel certificate. This proposed system mitigates the risk of the same environmental benefit being attributed to multiple buyers.

In its SAF case study, the organization outlines a certificate-checking process conducted prior to the entry of digital records into the system. Certificates are verified against the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as well as other recognized standards, per the document.

Upon verification, the certificates are transformed into standardized tokens that encompass their environmental characteristics. Participants can issue, transfer, and review these tokens before retiring them when the associated benefit is claimed. The Foundation emphasizes that retirement is the step that prevents a token from being reused.

For travelers, the announcement outlines an application that accepts departure and destination airports to compute a corresponding SAF allocation. Travelers will receive a certificate detailing the route, distance, and allocation, linked to the original fuel certificate.

The Foundation identifies CS-SAF as the digital token representing the environmental benefit of aviation fuel, while its case study discusses the assignment of tokens to airlines or specific journeys based on emissions calculations.

Diesel R Records Track Production, Transport, and Usage

In the second project, the Foundation explains that digital checkpoints will gather Diesel R data at various stages encompassing production, transportation, and usage. By connecting this data, a fuel history will be established, which companies can refer to for emissions accounting.

Petrobras describes Diesel R as a diesel product that includes a renewable portion derived from processing petroleum-based diesel alongside vegetable oils or animal fats. The company explains that the renewable material undergoes refinery treatment involving hydrogen and catalysts.

Per Petrobras’ product documentation, this resulting fuel can be utilized with existing engines, storage facilities, and distribution infrastructure without the need for modifications. The company supplies Diesel R to fuel distributors that service gas stations across Brazil.

When it comes to emissions reporting, the Foundation places a particular focus on Scope 3, which encompasses indirect emissions throughout a company’s value chain. The announcement states that vital information can be housed in separate supplier, logistics, and external systems, making the interconnected records of the diesel project pertinent for tracing the data used in such reports.

Rafael Fraga, the Foundation’s business development lead for Latin America, remarked:

“The energy transition will rely equally on trust and new fuel sources.”

In the same announcement, Fraga highlighted that the increasing complexity of supply chains renders the origin, movement, and reliability of environmental data crucial for the companies utilizing it.

Petrobras Research Extends Earlier Brazilian Collaborations

In April 2025, the Foundation revealed a research agreement with PUC-Rio focusing initially on renewable fuel production, consumption, and supply chains. It stated the intention to support Ledger Labs, with Petrobras participating as an industry partner.

This announcement from April also pointed out research topics including blockchain economics, decentralized finance, digital assets, and the governance of decentralized autonomous organizations. Fraga indicated that the Foundation has been collaborating with Petrobras since 2023.

As reported previously by crypto.news, the Foundation’s March 2025 collaboration with SERPRO involved bringing Cardano Academy training to the Brazilian government technology provider’s 8,000 employees, among whom more than 2,000 are developers.

This report mentioned the Petrobras educational alliance, dated December 2023, and described the SERPRO agreement as focusing on blockchain education and public sector infrastructure integration.

Recently, a report dated September 1 regarding Cardano’s supply chain verification noted a distinct deployment with Brazilian tech firm Blockforce. According to the partners, the platform has anchored proofs for over 500,000 records, including activities related to fashion group Azzas 2154.

In that deployment, it was noted that commercial records remain on a closed network while their corresponding proofs are made available on Cardano. Auditors can compare a provided document with its public proof to verify if it has been altered since the proof was recorded.

The partners also reported a 92% reduction in public anchoring costs per record through batching and confirmed that signed contracts encompass 6.5 million certified records through to 2030.

U.S. Airlines Have Distinct Fuel-Reporting Procedures

For American aviation entities, the Federal Aviation Administration’s guidelines for CORSIA monitoring, reporting, and verification provide pertinent context for documenting fuel-related emissions reductions.

This voluntary program indicates that U.S. operators engaged in international flights should submit verified annual emissions reports. Operators wishing to report reductions from CORSIA-eligible fuels, including SAF, are advised to reference the FAA’s Eligible Fuels Annex.

The FAA guidance specifies that participating operators should include this annex in third-party verifications when submitting fuel-related reductions. Its reporting framework encompasses fuel production year, producer, batch numbers, quantities, and related emissions reductions.

In instances where an operator proposes an alternative reporting method, the FAA stipulates that the company should reach out to the agency at least two months prior to the submission deadline to arrange an acceptable alternative.

The agency also recommends that participants retain their submissions and supporting documentation for a minimum of 10 years.