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ANCAP Participated in the Launch of Uruguay’s Green Hydrogen Energy Project

By April 20, 2021 4   min read  (627 words)

April 20, 2021 |

Fuel cells works, hydrogen, ANCAP Participated in the Launch of Uruguay's Green Hydrogen Energy Project

In virtual mode and with more than 600 attendees from 30 countries, the first green hydrogen pilot was launched.

The event led by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) had the participation of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), ANCAP, UTE and several private companies interested in this project focused on transport, although the possibility of extending it to other areas.

H2U , a green hydrogen pilot, was presented in the data room , which becomes the first step to consolidate Uruguay as a supplier and exporter of this product.

In the first instance, the Minister of Industry Omar Paganini, highlighted the work of the public sector in the project and the interest of the private sector, since with H2U they intend to lay the foundations of a long-term public-private participation. In this sense, he highlighted the high national and international attendance in this instance, which indicates that green hydrogen is one of the axes for global decarbonization and a key element for Uruguay’s second energy transition.

Paganini said that in our country the abundance of renewable energy sources stands out, and that the average of the Uruguayan electricity matrix comes in 97% of these origins.

Likewise, he stressed that unlike what happens in other countries, wind and solar energy are complementary, which gives Uruguay competitive advantages.

Finally, he said that “We are embarking on developing a green hydrogen roadmap in Uruguay, a roadmap that is complemented by other initiatives that are part of the energy policy, such as the promotion of sustainable mobility, the circular economy, smart grids for the management of electricity demand […], in short, a comprehensive energy policy that has to be articulated with a national development policy ”.

In turn, the Minister of Economy Azucena Arbeleche, said that from the economic aspect it is important to highlight that the Uruguayan government is committed to internalizing environmental criteria in the general economic policy and in the fiscal policy in particular.

Like Paganini, he highlighted the importance of the involvement of UTE and ANCAP, since it reinforces the commitment of the public sector to reach a good destination. In addition to these state support, he said that private participation is strongly appealed, not only so that these types of projects become more competitive, but also more sustainable.

For his part, the president of ANCAP Alejandro Stipanicic, stressed that ANCAP already produces Hydrogen in its refinery and has the technical and professional experience for the operation of complex plants and available industrial areas.

In this line, he stressed that ANCAP faces this project as part of its vision for the future and predicted that as a State policy, very good projects can be achieved with the participation of public and private.

The president of UTE, Silvia Emaldi, assured that UTE has electric power available to cover the requirements of the pilot project and that it runs smoothly.

“UTE has the guarantees to support and bet firmly on what refers to hydrogen and decarbonisation,” Emaldi concluded.

H2U project

This pilot focuses in the first instance on a plan for heavy transport and thus responding to current energy challenges, such as dependence on fossil fuels in industrial sectors.

The business model will be entirely private, so interested companies will have to install their own plant. In any case, they will have the possibility of using the ANCAP facilities in the Capurro neighborhood, which will allow them to take advantage of the human resources and existing infrastructure.

The companies interested in this undertaking will be able to dialogue directly with the technicians in charge and exchange associated ideas so that Uruguay can position itself as a supplier and exporter of green hydrogen and derivatives.

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