Petrobras announced the construction of its first pilot plant to produce renewable hydrogen at the Vale do Açu Thermoelectric Power Plant, located in Rio Grande do Norte. This project, which has a budget of R$ 90 million, has the collaboration of the Senai Institute for Innovation in Renewable Energies (Senai ISI-ER) and the participation of the company WEG, recognized worldwide in electrification.
Petrobras Hydrogen Plant System
The pilot plant will produce green hydrogen through a water electrolysis process , which will be powered by solar energy. This method separates water molecules to obtain hydrogen and oxygen, thus taking advantage of Brazil’s renewable natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions . According to Maurício Tolmasquim, director of Energy Transition and Sustainability at Petrobras, this pilot plant represents the first step towards future commercial sustainable hydrogen projects in Brazil.
To supply electricity to the electrolysis unit, the Alto Rodrigues photovoltaic plant will increase its production capacity from 1.1 MWp to 2.5 MWp . This increase will cover the demand of the 2 MW electrolysis unit, which will be installed to carry out tests in different operating modes. In addition, the plant will be connected to the electricity distribution network, optimising the use of the existing energy storage system.
Combination of hydrogen and natural gas
The hydrogen produced in this pilot plant will be used to generate energy and to study the mixture with natural gas in microturbines, with the aim of evaluating the performance and structural integrity of these components. Petrobras will be a pioneer in Brazil in investigating how this combination of green hydrogen and natural gas could be applied in the country’s energy sector.
The pilot plant is expected to start operations in the first quarter of 2026. With this project, the company is taking an important step towards sustainability and reaffirming its commitment to the energy transition in Brazil, exploring the potential of hydrogen as a fuel of the future.
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Source and photo: Petrobras
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