For the first time, the World’s largest hydroelectric plant ITAIPU located on the Paraná river in the Brazil-Paraguay border is testing an OEM produced gas vehicle on biomethane.
The vehicle is an Audi A5 G-tron sportsback, imported from Germany which has a four-cylinder spark-ignition turbocharged engine with gasoline direct injection and manifold gas injection.
Technical teams from ITAIPU and Centro Internacional de Energias Renováveis – Biogás (CIBiogás) will begin testing the unit next week. The tests will include power output, range and emissions.
The A5 will be fueled with biomethane produced at Itaipu in the CIBiogás pilot plant. Methane content will vary between 80 and 95% as part of the tests.
Once the initial on-site testings are concluded, the A5 will circulate on the Foz de Iguazú (where the plant is located) and Curitiba running exclusively on biomethane.
Photo credit: Alexandre Marchetti/Itaipu Binacional