The Northeast Brazilian State of Ceará kicked off on Friday (2/19) Brazil’s first steps to become a HUB of production and export of Green Hydrogen. In the partnership, public and private institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Australian company Energyx Energy to construct a hydrogen plant in the region’s Industrial and Port Complex.
The project was announced in a ceremony that brought together the governor, FIEC’s president, UFC’s rector, the Secretary of Economic Development and Labor, and virtually representants of the Port of Rotterdam and Energyx Energy.
With a US$ 5.4 billion investment, Energyx plans to lead the project development over the next few years. A state decree was also signed creating a Working Group, with Ceará’s Industry Federation (FIEC) and Federal University (UFC), which will lead the implementation of the HUB in the State.
The President of FIEC considers the moment historic for Ceará, as Green Hydrogen can be a changing factor in the industry, the economy and the socioeconomic profile of Ceará. “Since 2013, we have discussed Green Hydrogen. The entire industrial base of some countries is already being changed not only for energy production but also for truck, train, ship, and aeroplane transportation, already using Green Hydrogen. Ceará, with all this generation capacity, could become a great world producer of Green Hydrogen. I congratulate the State Government and everyone involved”, affirmed Ricardo Cavalcante.
The HUB launch is a historical moment for the Brazilian State, as it walks towards being a national pole for green hydrogen production to supply national and international industries. To support the production, the region has a vast potential for solar and wind energy, investments that are fastly gaining space in the Brazilian grid. It is also the closest point to Europe with good connectivity with the continent, thanks to a partnership with the Port of Rotterdam, a competitive advantage that the Ceará state wants to explore.
According to the people involved, the government’s partnership with the productive sector through FIEC and with the Academy through UFC will deepen studies and elaborate strategies to search for investors and investments for the HUB.
“This Green Hydrogen production can be the great landmark of an economic transformation in the State of Ceará in the next years”, he emphasised.
This project’s long-term vision exposes the interest of industrial to make the region a national flagship in the upcoming hydrogen economy and to avoid depending heavily on foreign technology in the future. The development of this HUB also aims to attract new initiative that will echo in the region’s industrial development and create new jobs.
Gabriel Marinho Silva, Contributor
Gabriel is a Brazilian chemical engineer with 5+ years of experience working in diverse fields in France, Brazil and Sweden. Now currently finishing a double MSc degree in Renewable Energy, Gabriel is dedicated to fight climate change through hydrogen technologies.
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