Viabilidade econômica e benefícios ambientais de tecnologia aplicada a biodigestores em empresas processadoras de mandioca do Paraná

Abstract

The anaerobic effluent treatment in digesters generates biogas, which when emitted into the atmosphere contributes to global greenhouse effect and fails to be used for energy purposes. For the generation of biogas, the existence of an infrastructure is required, which is the main part digester. In Brazil, much of the residual organic material comes from cassava, especially in the state of Paraná. The disorderly economic growth of agribusiness generated deforestation and environmental pollution (residual organic material was released into the environment causing pollution of soil and rivers of the region). The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is economic feasibility of a biodigester deployment project in cassava processing companies in the state of Paraná, the observed environmental benefits and managers adopt practices of eco-innovation and green management practices. The method used is qualitative with semistructured interview and questionnaire. The interview contains information about the economic data of the project (investment, income and expenses), the environmental benefits after the implementation of the digester and the manioc production chain, whose content analysis was performed by Atlas.ti software. The questionnaire provides data on the practices of eco-innovation and green management practices, adopting cross-data analysis of case studies (cross-case). The study demonstrated that the generation of biogas-based energy from organic waste material cassava is economically viable, environmental benefits were provided and that managers adopt practices of eco-innovation and green management, expanding energy alternatives and given the tripod of sustainable innovation (social, economic and environmental). How important contributions, the project offers to the academic world: a proposal for study in science with regard to the biodigester technology from the residual organic material cassava for sustainable development; and the corporate world: an opportunity for sustainable innovation with obtaining return of the amount invested, plus the competitive advantage to the market in which it operates.