Codec debates structuring paths of the energy transition in a panel at COP30
The meeting highlighted Codec's strategic role in articulating clean solutions in the industrial districts of the State
The Pará Economic Development Company held, this Saturday (15), the first panel of its program at COP30, in the Green Zone, at the Legal Amazon Hub booth in Belém. With the theme "Opportunities for the Application of Sustainable Energy Solutions in the Industrial Districts of Pará", the meeting established itself as one of the most consistent debates of the event, bringing together experts, business leaders, and representatives of civil society to examine, from different perspectives, the industrial decarbonization agenda in the State.
The audience exceeded the expected capacity, with more than 40 participants distributed in a space intended for 35 seats. Representatives from Sebrae, Fiepa, the Commercial Association of Pará, Gás do Pará, engineers, energy specialists, investors, academics, and technical teams from Codec were present, creating a plural and highly qualified environment.
Panelists included Codec's Director of Strategy and Institutional Relations, Pádua Rodrigues, the Director of New Fortress Energy, Paul Steffen, and the Vice President of Operations at Sinobras, Ian Corrêa.
Energy transition as a central guideline of Pará's industrial policy
Opening the panel, Pádua Rodrigues emphasized that the energy transition is now a cross-cutting guideline of Pará's industrial policy and guides the reconfiguration of the districts managed by Codec. According to him, the poles of Barcarena, Icoaraci, Ananindeua, and Marabá are undergoing a modernization and environmental re-framing process, a step that ensures governance, traceability, and legal security for future industrial operations.
The director also presented the new cycle of territorial expansion led by the company, with the implementation of the industrial districts of Castanhal, Breves, and Santarém, in addition to the recently approved Barcarena Export Processing Zone. Pádua also highlighted that the two invited companies are part of the set of industries installed in the districts managed by Codec, reinforcing the company's role as an articulator of this ecosystem.
He emphasized that the strategic milestones of the State, such as the Amazon Now Plan and the State Bioeconomy Plan, provide clear guidelines for institutional action. “Codec has a driving role. Our commitment is to ensure that industrial development advances in a manner compatible with climate limits and with the innovation that the new economy demands,” he concluded.
Natural gas as a vector for industrial modernization
The director of New Fortress Energy, Paul Steffen, addressed the role of natural gas as a tool for energy transition and pointed out that decarbonization must respect the specificities of each territory. “The Amazonian transition has its own dynamics. It does not replicate international models; it requires solutions calibrated to its context,” he noted.
Paul presented the results obtained in Barcarena, highlighting the LNG Terminal and the set of UTE Novo Tempo and UTE Portocem plants, which together generate 2.2 gigawatts. He also mentioned the experience of Hydro Alunorte, responsible for one of the largest reductions in emissions in the industrial sector worldwide in 2023, by replacing heavy fuels with natural gas. “We are facing a profound transformation: consolidated infrastructure, significantly reduced emissions, and a new industrial horizon for Pará,” he stated.
A low-emission steel route built in the Amazon
The Vice President of Operations at Sinobras, Ian Corrêa, presented the strategy of the steel company based in Marabá, which operates with one of the lowest carbon intensities in the national industry. The company produces steel predominantly using recycled metal scrap, renewable energy, and charcoal from planted forests, achieving emissions ten times lower than the Brazilian average. “The Amazon can indeed be synonymous with sophisticated industrial production, as long as it is accompanied by technical rigor and environmental responsibility,” he stated.
Ian explained that Sinobras maintains over 48,000 hectares of energy forests and operates high-power electric furnaces powered by energy from Belo Monte, ensuring a negative carbon balance. He also emphasized that the industrial transition requires substantial investments and deep structural revisions. “Technology, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure are simultaneous elements. No transition happens in isolation,” he observed.
Qualified audience and contributions that enriched the debate
The audience's participation revealed the engagement of the productive sector with the theme. The president of Gás do Pará, Flecha Ribeiro, announced that the State will inaugurate, still in November, the first GNR station for long-distance transport in Brazil, an initiative that positions Pará at the forefront of low-carbon mobility. He also confirmed progress in negotiations for the supply of natural gas in Marabá, reinforcing the industrial competitiveness of the region.
The president of the Carbon Credit Cooperative of the Amazon, Venscelau Braz, directed a question to the representative of Sinobras about the main barriers to decarbonization beyond political and institutional changes. Ian responded that the challenge lies in the scale of investments and the complete adaptation of industrial plants, in addition to regulatory sluggishness.
The president of the Commercial Association of Pará, Elizabete Grunvald, praised the panel and stated that the results of the energy transition are already concrete in the State. She cited real cases of significant emission reductions and highlighted the importance of the union between the public and private sectors. “The future has already arrived, and this panel is a milestone of this collective construction,” she declared.
The director of Socio-Environmental Studies at CPEA, Mariana Bernal do Mazute, emphasized Pará's prominence as a national reference in the decarbonization route using natural gas. “Codec's role is crucial in articulating investors, companies, and public institutions. It is a silent, technical, and absolutely strategic role,” she stated.
The meeting showed that the energy transition is advancing in Pará consistently, driven by technical knowledge, institutional articulation, and strategic vision. In this scenario, Codec emerges as a catalytic agent, connecting agendas and creating conditions for industrial districts to become territories of energy innovation and sustainable prosperity. The company continues its participation in COP30 on November 19, when it will promote the second panel dedicated to the agenda.
