São Paulo bets on green hydrogen as the fuel of the future
According to Senai, the objective of the project is to demonstrate that ethanol can be a vector for the production of hydrogen, contributing to the decarbonization of industry sectors. The partnership focuses on validating the technology through the construction of a plant sized to produce 4.5 kg/h of hydrogen. The start of operations is expected for the first half of 2024. The structure will be installed on the USP campus, in the city of São Paulo.
Still according to Senai CETIQT, the project also intends to calculate the carbon footprint of the “field to wheel” cycle, that is, to verify the CO² emissions in the atmosphere, from the cultivation of sugarcane to the consumption of hydrogen by the vehicle’s fuel cell.
In addition to curbing environmental impacts, the development of the green hydrogen chain aims to foster regional economic development and generate jobs, income and quality of life.
Recently representatives of the government of São Paulo participated in meetings in Europe to present projects and address the potential for production and investment of green hydrogen in the state. For Senator Marcos Pontes (PL-SP), it is necessary to support and encourage companies with sustainable projects.
“I believe that Brazil can and should take on this leadership role in renewable energy on the planet. We have everything to do this, we just need to really have a political focus to transform this, put in the effort here in Brazil, help the companies that work in the sector and make the transformation that we are capable of making”, he points out.
Green Hydrogen
Currently, Brazil is the third country that most produces renewable energy in the world, behind only the USA and China. Data from the Electric Energy Trading Chamber (CCEE) indicate that Brazil broke a record for electricity generation through renewable sources in 2022. Last year, an average of 62,000 megawatts of energy were produced per month . As a result, energy generation by renewable means reached 92%.
The manager of Analysis and Market Information at CCEE, Ricardo Gedra, explains that H2V is one of the main alternatives to replace fossil fuels.
“Hydrogen is a very important energy vector to collaborate with decarbonization, which is the objective that industries, governments, global bodies are seeking. Within this context, there are some sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, for example, maritime transport, road transport and some sectors of industry. For these segments, hydrogen becomes a viable technical alternative to be considered as a substitute fuel”, he explains.
The high offer also places the country among the most competitive in terms of price. Data from a survey carried out by BloombergNEF (BNEF) project Brazil as one of the only countries capable of offering green hydrogen at a cost of less than US$ 1 per kilogram, by 2030.
According to the professor of materials and environmental sciences at ESEG – Faculdade do Grupo Passo, Lina Varon, the H2V chain will demand a change in the consumption of the population and a new understanding of energy consumption.
“New manufacturing processes will have to be analyzed, which use a fossil fuel that will now enter, hydrogen and renewable energy. So, large operational coefficients of this process will have to change. This demands new professions, new experiences”, he emphasizes.
Green hydrogen export potential opens up opportunities for professionals
By Brasil 61
