Petrobras has developed two blockchain applications on the Cardano network to manage sustainability data for its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and Diesel R renewable fuel. The first application, created in collaboration with PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs, tokenizes environmental attributes associated with SAF into digital tokens known as CS-SAF. These tokens utilize a Book-and-Claim model that separates the environmental benefit from the physical fuel, allowing airlines, companies, or passengers to claim the credit even if the actual fuel is consumed elsewhere. The metadata within these tokens aligns with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), enabling passengers to receive certificates tied to their specific journeys.
The second application establishes digital checkpoints to monitor the production, transportation, and usage of Diesel R. According to the Cardano Foundation, this tracking infrastructure supports Scope 3 reporting, which accounts for indirect emissions across a company’s value chain. These initiatives stem from a research and development partnership initiated in 2023 with blockchain education for Petrobras employees, which expanded in 2025 to include energy-sector research with PUC-Rio. The Cardano Foundation did not disclose the volume of fuel covered by these applications nor provide a timeline for broader deployment. This move parallels other industry efforts, such as Shell’s Avelia platform, which uses similar blockchain-based Book-and-Claim systems to prevent double counting of SAF environmental attributes.
The integration of blockchain technology into Petrobras’ fuel tracking systems addresses a critical structural challenge in the global sustainable fuel market: the verification and attribution of environmental benefits. By adopting the Book-and-Claim model via Cardano, Petrobras enables the decoupling of physical fuel consumption from carbon credits, facilitating compliance with international standards like CORSIA without requiring direct logistical alignment between producers and end-users. This mechanism reduces the risk of double counting, a persistent issue in voluntary and mandatory carbon markets, thereby enhancing the credibility of the environmental claims attached to SAF and renewable diesel products.
From an institutional adoption perspective, this development signals a maturation of enterprise blockchain use cases beyond speculative assets into operational infrastructure for regulatory compliance. The reliance on established academic partnerships, such as PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs, suggests a focus on rigorous technical validation rather than rapid commercial rollout. However, the lack of disclosed deployment timelines and fuel volumes indicates that these applications remain in a pilot or early-stage phase. Market observers should watch whether this approach gains traction among other state-controlled entities seeking to meet stringent Scope 3 emission reporting requirements while maintaining auditability through distributed ledger technologies.
