Brazil opens green hydrogen center with German support

SAO PAULO, 28 SEPT (ANSA) - The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, inaugurated this Thursday (28) in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, a Green Hydrogen Center (CH2V), with an investment of almost R$25 million from the German government.

The initiative aims to bring together various research fronts, including the analysis of the use of green hydrogen in industrial processes, in the generation of electricity and in the search for sustainable alternatives for urban mobility.

For Silveira, the partnership between Brazil and Germany reinforces the commitment of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government to the energy transition.

"This delivery is also an example of what we can achieve with international cooperation for the Energy Transition. The collaboration between Brazil and Germany, which for decades has borne fruit in the areas of sustainable energy and energy efficiency, has reached another major milestone," said the minister, stressing that the Green Hydrogen Center will help to "expand the green hydrogen market in the country".

According to a government statement, the CH2V, which will be powered exclusively by photovoltaic panels, will house laboratories that will be used by institutions and companies interested in developing research and applications using low-carbon hydrogen.

In addition, the work includes experiments on the application of green hydrogen with steel companies based in Minas Gerais. It is also planned to include subjects focused on green hydrogen in undergraduate, postgraduate and specialization courses.

The second stage, scheduled for next year, will see the inauguration of a green hydrogen production unit and a vehicle refueling station.

"Under the guidance of President Lula at the National Energy Policy Council, we have defined a clear strategy for developing the production and use of low-carbon hydrogen in Brazil. Our action plan, which has already been approved and is being implemented, is ambitious, with 65 concrete actions to get the strategy off the ground," he added.