The 5th European Investment Forum in Uruguay: Renewables in motion, is taking place until Tuesday, October 1st in the auditorium of the Telecommunications Tower. The opening was attended by the interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicolás Albertoni; the National Director of Energy, Christian Nieves; the ambassador of the European Union (EU) in Uruguay, Paolo Berizzi, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, among other national and international authorities.

On this occasion, Facio and Berizzi signed a declaration of intent for a non-reimbursable contribution of 2,000,000 euros within the framework of the EU's Euroclima programme, in order to strengthen the generation of capacities that will be required for the production of green hydrogen, support the adaptation and expansion of the current regulatory framework and implement a plan for dissemination and citizen dialogue, among other purposes.

In her speech, the minister highlighted the impetus of the portfolio she leads towards the decarbonisation process and reviewed the beginning of cooperation with the EU, in 1992, based on sustainability. She recalled the signing, in 2023, of a memorandum of understanding with an emphasis on green hydrogen, derivatives and energy efficiency, and stated that Uruguay is one of the few countries that have signed agreements of this type.

He said that the first energy transition made it possible to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and that, through state support and coordination with private companies, in the last mobile year 99% of the energy matrix was made up of renewable elements.

He also said that Uruguay is consolidating its position as an international benchmark in this area and is positioned at the forefront of the renewal of the global energy matrix, and that events such as Simson's visit demonstrate the EU's interest in making progress in cooperation agreements.

Regarding green hydrogen, in particular, he said that the roadmap foresees an investment of 18 billion dollars until 2040, which will create more than 30,000 jobs, and that the EU is the main target market. “The production of clean hydrogen is a great opportunity for the country,” he said, adding that export is being considered to encourage local consumption.

He said there are four green hydrogen projects in development: two in pilot plan mode and two for export, in the feasibility study phase, before the investments are formally announced. The first two should begin production at the end of 2025, while the first stage of the other two would begin in 2029.

He also said that a national infrastructure and logistics plan is being worked on to produce green hydrogen and progress has been made on different actions together with the Ministries of Environment (MA) and Transport and Public Works (MTOP), the National Port Administration (ANP) and the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Unit (Ursea).

Simson explained, in an interview with Presidential Communication, that Uruguay has great potential to produce green hydrogen, thanks to its abundant natural resources and transport routes, among other aspects, which will allow it to become a center for exporting clean fuels, as well as a key partner of the EU.

_{Press Office of the President of Uruguay}

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