SL Process monitors the progress of Be8's ethanol plant in Passo Fundo.

Homepage Biofuels SL Process monitors the progress of Be8's ethanol plant in Passo Fundo.

SL Process monitors the progress of Be8's new ethanol plant in Passo Fundo.

An industrial project begins long before the first structures appear on the construction site.

Before the concrete, the equipment, and the piping, there are studies, process definitions, models, compatibility checks, and hundreds of engineering decisions necessary to transform an idea into a facility capable of operating safely and efficiently.

In Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, this process is becoming increasingly visible.

The new Be8 grain ethanol plant has surpassed 70% of construction progress, according to an update released by the Passo Fundo City Hall in May 2026.

For SL Process, this advancement represents an important milestone within a project in which the company has been involved since the engineering development phase.

Today, what has been present for months in studies, technical documents, and engineering environments is beginning to physically occupy the land.

From engineering to the field.

Be8's new unit in Passo Fundo is part of SL Process's portfolio of biofuel projects.

The company's involvement occurred prior to the current implementation phase, during the technical development necessary to transform the project's industrial premises into solutions capable of reaching the field.

Projects of this scale depend on the integration of different areas.

Processes, equipment, civil structures, piping, electrical installations, instrumentation, automation, utilities, and infrastructure need to function as parts of a single system.

A decision made in one discipline can directly impact several others.

The position of a piece of equipment affects structures and piping. A change in the process may require new utilities. A change in capacity may impact electrical systems, raw material handling, storage, and shipping.

Therefore, large industrial projects need to be planned in an integrated way.

This is one of the main characteristics of the work developed by SL Process.

The company brings together different engineering specialties to transform industrial needs into structured, compatible projects, prepared for the subsequent implementation stages.

Learn more about SL Process's engineering solutions:

https://slprocess.com.br/servicos/

A new grain ethanol plant in Rio Grande do Sul

The Be8 unit was designed to process different grains, including wheat, triticale, and corn.

According to information released by the company, the projected capacity is approximately 525,000 tons of processed grains per year.

From this raw material, the project will have the capacity to produce approximately 210 million liters of ethanol annually.

But the project goes beyond the production of renewable fuel.

The unit was also structured to produce approximately 153,000 tons of DDGS per year and 27,000 tons of vital gluten annually.

This allows for a broader utilization of the components present in grains and connects the operation to different production chains.

Among the key figures released for the project are:

525,000 tons of processed grains per year

210 million liters of ethanol per year

153 thousand tons of DDGS per year

27,000 tons of vital gluten per year

Over 70% of the works completed in May 2026

The configuration demonstrates how new biofuel plants are evolving into industrial complexes capable of generating different products from the same raw material.

Ethanol, DDGS, and vital gluten in the same industrial facility.

The main energy product of the unit will be grain ethanol.

During the industrial process, components of the grains are separated and used for different purposes.

One of them is DDGS, which stands for Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles.

The product results from the processing of grains during ethanol production and is mainly used in animal nutrition, creating a connection between the biofuel industry and animal protein production chains.

Another anticipated product is vital gluten.

Used by the food industry, especially in products that rely on the functional properties of wheat proteins, this ingredient currently has a significant share of imported products in the Brazilian market.

Be8 also announced its intention to commercially exploit the biogenic CO₂ generated during the industrial process.

This integration increases the utilization of raw materials and flows generated within the unit itself.

A project connected to the agricultural reality of the South.

Much of the recent expansion of grain ethanol in Brazil is associated with corn, especially in projects located in the Midwest.

The Passo Fundo plant has a different configuration.

By considering wheat, triticale, and corn among the possible raw materials, the project connects directly to the agricultural characteristics of Rio Grande do Sul.

This flexibility creates new possibilities for the industrial use of grains produced in the region.

Agriculture ceases to be merely a commodity and begins to fuel an industrial chain capable of generating fuel, ingredients for animal nutrition, products for the food industry, and other byproducts.

This movement strengthens the relationship between agricultural production and regional industrialization.

The role of engineering in a plant of this size.

A grain ethanol plant brings together different processes and systems that need to operate continuously and in an integrated manner.

The raw material needs to be received, stored, prepared, and directed to the process.

After that, different industrial stages transform the grains into the final products.

At the same time, a large support structure is needed to keep the entire operation running.

Electrical power, steam, water, thermal systems, compressed air, instrumentation, automation, and other utilities are part of this infrastructure.

There are also storage, internal handling, shipping, security, and infrastructure systems necessary to ensure the operation of the business.

It is in this context that multidisciplinary engineering assumes a central role.

Before implementation, it is necessary to define how all these areas will connect.

Interferences need to be identified.

Capabilities need to be verified.

Equipment needs to be specified and positioned.

Structures need to take into account the loads they will receive.

The subjects need to be made compatible.

The goal is to ensure that the technical decisions made during project development reduce uncertainties when the project reaches the field.

SL Process's participation in the venture

Be8's grain ethanol plant in Passo Fundo is part of SL Process's biofuel portfolio.

The company's involvement in engineering development represents a crucial step in the life cycle of an industrial project.

It is during this phase that production needs begin to be transformed into technical definitions capable of guiding implementation.

For SL Process, monitoring the project beyond 70% of construction means physically observing the result of a stage that began much earlier.

A structure that appears on the construction site today was previously represented in drawings and models.

An installed piece of equipment needed to have its position, interfaces, and technical requirements analyzed.

A pipeline that currently runs through the plant needed to have its route adapted to the existing structures, equipment, and other installations.

Electrical systems, instrumentation, and automation needed to be designed to meet the real-world conditions of future operation.

It is this transformation that connects engineering and implementation.

Discover other projects developed by SL Process in the biofuels sector:

https://slprocess.com.br/biocombustiveis/

SL Process's experience in biofuels

Participation in the Be8 project is part of a trajectory built by SL Process alongside the Brazilian biofuel industry.

Over the years, the company has participated in the development of ethanol and biodiesel projects in different regions of the country.

Their portfolio includes ventures with different production capacities, raw materials, and industrial configurations.

Currently, the ethanol projects in SL Process's portfolio represent more than 1.5 billion liters of annual production capacity.

This experience also reflects the technological evolution of the sector.

The growth of corn ethanol has opened a new industrial front in Brazil and expanded the presence of biofuels in regions strongly linked to grain production.

Now, ventures capable of utilizing different grains are showing new possibilities for this expansion.

In engineering, each new configuration requires technical knowledge, an understanding of the characteristics of the raw material, and the ability to integrate technology, process, and implementation.

Over 70% of the works completed

The current progress also allows us to observe the speed of the project's implementation in recent months.

In previous stages, the project went through site preparation and the initial phases of civil works.

Be8 had previously reported the completion of approximately 20% of the new factory's structure.

In May 2026, the City Hall of Passo Fundo released a new update indicating that the project had surpassed 70% of execution.

This development is rapidly transforming the project's landscape.

Structures begin to occupy the land.

Equipment is starting to take up its final positions.

Industrial facilities are beginning to connect different areas.

What previously existed predominantly within engineering environments is gradually becoming a reality.

Impact for Passo Fundo and the region

An industrial project of this size also generates effects beyond the boundaries of the plant itself.

According to information released by the City Hall of Passo Fundo, more than 800 professionals were directly involved in the works in May 2026.

The project stimulates different sectors of the regional economy.

Civil construction, industrial assembly, transportation, equipment manufacturing, maintenance, technology, specialized services, and engineering are all part of the necessary chain to transform a project of this scale into reality.

After the completion of construction, the new unit will continue to require professionals, services, logistics, and raw materials.

Integration with regional agricultural production also creates a new alternative industrial destination for grains produced in Rio Grande do Sul.

In this way, the impact of a new industry extends across a network of producers, workers, companies, and service providers.

Engineering and industrial development

For SL Process, projects like Be8's perfectly represent the environment in which industrial engineering demonstrates its importance.

Great investments begin with decisions.

What capacity should be installed?

What processes will be used?

How will the equipment be integrated?

What utilities will be needed?

How to organize the implementation?

How to reduce interference during execution?

How to prepare the structure to operate safely and reliably?

The sooner these questions are answered technically, the greater the ability tends to be to anticipate problems and organize the next steps.

Engineering, therefore, acts as a bridge between an investment decision and the physical reality of the project.

This principle is directly connected to how SL Process structures its projects.

The company operates from studies and planning to engineering, procurement, and implementation management, allowing for an integrated view of the industrial development cycle.

When is the new plant expected to begin operations?

Public sources provide differing information regarding the expected date for the unit to become operational.

In April 2026, an official publication from Be8 indicated a projected opening of the new ethanol, DDGS, and vital gluten operation in the last quarter of 2026.

In May 2026, a publication from the City Hall of Passo Fundo indicated that operations were expected to begin in 2027.

Given the conflicting information released by sources directly related to the project, it is not appropriate to establish a definitive start date at this time without a specific update to the schedule.

Physical progress, however, is confirmed.

By May 2026, more than 70% of the works had already been completed.

A project that began in engineering and is taking shape in the field.

There is a particularly significant moment in every industrial project.

This is when what has been discussed, calculated, modeled, and reconciled for months begins to take its final form in the field.

For those involved in engineering development, a construction project represents more than just concrete, steel, and equipment.

Each structure involves technical decisions.

Each system has interfaces that needed to be studied.

Each constructed step represents part of a previously developed plan.

Be8's new grain ethanol plant in Passo Fundo is at that exact moment.

With over 70% of work completed, the project is progressing towards transforming grains produced in the region into ethanol, DDGS, vital gluten, and other value streams.

For SL Process, keeping up with this evolution means seeing another project from its portfolio progressively leaving the engineering environment to become a new industrial reality.

It is through this connection between technical knowledge, planning, and execution that great projects begin to take shape.

About SL Process

SL Process is a Brazilian industrial engineering company founded in 2003, operating in projects throughout Brazil and Latin America.

The company develops integrated solutions for different stages of the industrial project lifecycle, including studies, multidisciplinary engineering, procurement, and deployment management.

Their portfolio includes ventures in the biofuels, grain storage, bio-oils, fertilizers, energy, and food sectors.

Get to know SL Process:

https://slprocess.com.br/

Learn about our biofuel projects:

https://slprocess.com.br/biocombustiveis/

Discover our engineering solutions:

https://slprocess.com.br/servicos/

Contact our team:

https://slprocess.com.br/contato/