The Federal University of Itajubá (Unifei) and the H2Brasil project are working with Minas Gerais steel industries to develop an initiative for the use of green hydrogen.
The facility will include a laboratory-scale production unit for electrolysis, storage, and vehicular delivery of green hydrogen (H2V) that will be powered entirely by renewable energy, with a production capacity of 60 m3/h. The goal is to evaluate applications with the greatest potential for mobility, energy production, and industrial use, with the aim of delivering vehicles starting in 2023. The technology cluster hopes to be a leader in the development of renewable energy.
German companies Neuman & Esser (NEA Brasil) and its subsidiary Hytron – Energia e Gases will assist in the construction and provide equipment for the pilot plant, respectively. The steel industry contributes 7% of CO2 emissions from energy use and production worldwide, and the International Energy Agency estimates that the steel industry alone uses 8% of all energy.
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The production unit will consist of a 300kW PEM type electrolyzer, storage containers, a supply dispenser, and a fuel cell, all powered by photovoltaic panels. Unifei reports that several national businesses and sectors have already expressed interest in partnering on the project.
