Researcher: hydrogen is an opportunity to reindustrialize the country

The great potential for renewable hydrogen production in the country over the next ten years is an opportunity to reindustrialize the country. This statement was made by the president of the Brazilian Hydrogen Association (ABH2) and researcher at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Paulo Emílio Valadão de Miranda. He participated, this Monday (29), in the 3rd Brazilian Hydrogen Congress, in Maricá, in Greater Rio, which runs until Wednesday (31).

Hydrogen is a chemical element that can be used as fuel. It is obtained in several ways, including the transformation of fossil fuels (with extraction of hydrogen and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere), electrolysis of water (with the separation of hydrogen and oxygen) or biomass (with extraction of hydrogen and transformation of carbon in solid product).

“It is an opportunity for the reindustrialization of Brazil, which has great potential for hydrogen production. Nowadays, we know that almost all hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels and that there is a great effort in the production of renewable from the electrolysis of water. But the country also has a very large potential for production from biomass”.

According to Paulo Emílio Miranda, the country currently has 850 biogas industries. “The use of waste biomass and management will make this source of raw material represent, in a decade, most of the hydrogen produced in Brazil for energy purposes. There is an opportunity for industrial growth in Brazil with regard to the use of this chemical element,” he explained.

It is also possible to extract hydrogen, in its gaseous form, directly from underground deposits. Miranda stated that in Maricá, the city where the congress will be held, deposits of hydrogen were found.

According to him, the underground deposits of hydrogen are constantly renewed. “It (underground hydrogen) also has the advantage of low production cost compared to current techniques, although we don’t know the potential very well, with rates and production volumes.”

The 3rd Brazilian Hydrogen Congress brings together specialists, companies and government representatives. The complete schedule can be accompanied live or in videos recorded through the congress channel on youtube.