Ultragaz WLGA Leadership Partner Limelight

Leadership in the Energy Transition: the Brazilian Clean Cooking Programme

*by Aurélio Ferreira

Leadership in building a sustainable future requires uniting a legacy of innovation with the capacity for widespread execution. Ultragaz, which spearheaded Brazil’s first energy transition 88 years ago by replacing firewood with LPG, continues to shape a market that moves seven million tons annually and ensures the food security of 200 million users. This unparalleled logistics network, capable of making deliveries in an average of 15 minutes nationwide, is only sustained by non-negotiable regulatory stability. Strict respect for cylinder branding and the prohibition of unsafe practices are what enable high private investments in the integrity of the entire distribution chain.

It was precisely this legal and operational maturity that allowed the sector to embrace the challenge of combating energy poverty through the Gás do Povo program. With roughly 20% of Brazilian households still relying on firewood for cooking, the initiative aims to provide free LPG to 15.5 million vulnerable families, directly impacting around 50 million people. Leading this movement means turning public access policies into reality, leveraging the expertise of those who master national supply on a continental scale.

The efficiency of this inclusion policy was guaranteed by unprecedented technological execution and the rapid mobilisation of the sector. In just nine months of operation, the programme reached 100% of the Brazilian municipalities and accredited over 26,000 resellers. To ensure absolute governance of an operation of this magnitude, a 100% digital journey was structured via Caixa Econômica Federal, eliminating physical cash transactions and mitigating fraud through rigorous, real-time validations at the point of sale.

Tangible ESG Impact and Corporate Leadership

The engineering behind the program already reflects practical results that transcend operational metrics, with over 19 million vouchers redeemed. As a historical protagonist of this transformation, Ultragaz delivered over 3,0 million cylinders, securing an 18.3% share in the initiative's deliveries. Beyond the projection of avoiding the emission of more than five million tons of CO₂, continuous access to clean cooking drastically improves respiratory health and returns productive time, especially for heads of families.