ENGIE and the Ceará State Government executed today (Oct. 15), at the Ceará State Governor’s House, a Memorandum of Understanding on a large-scale green hydrogen project at the Port of Pecém.

The project’s main focus is on green hydrogen exports, but application is also under analysis for heavy mobility, steel, chemicals production and mixed-gas transportation networks, which would enable turning the project into a green hydrogen hub. In addition to fostering the birth of a domestic green hydrogen industry, the project will enable decarbonizing the industries involved.

Phase one aims to produce 100-150 MW within five years. Additional phases will then develop until a larger scale is reached, in line with the expansion of the domestic and international markets. Given this, ENGIE is open to collaboration with several stakeholders to enable adding momentum to the initiative.

“As ENGIE sees it, hydrogen is a strategic decarbonization driver insofar as it enables improved integration across renewables, in addition to helping reduce emissions in industries whose targets are hard to hit. We have the know-how to offer the most efficient industrial-scale green hydrogen solutions in Brazil, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and collaborating to the transition to a carbon-neutral world, which is the company’s purpose,” said Raphael Barreau, Executive Vice-President of Global Businesses of ENGIE Green Hydrogen.
“We are glad to welcome one of the world’s leading energy companies, and I would like to emphasize that we are ready to join forces to build this project as a team,” said Governor Camilo Santana. He went on about the competitive advantages that make Ceará a favorable environment for hydrogen production with no carbon emissions. “Our strategic geographic position, our potential to generate renewable energy because of the coastline and year-round sunlight, give Ceará a head start producing and exporting the fuel of the future,” he underscored.
Governor Camilo Santana made the announcement in a live broadcast session on the State of Ceará’s social media channels. The MoU was signed by Ceará State Secretary for Economic Development and Labor Ceará (SEDET), Maia Junior, and SEDET Executive Secretary Roseane Medeiros. On behalf of ENGIE, aside from Raphael Barreau, the Memorandum was signed by ENGIE’s Communication and Social Responsibility Director Gil Maranhão Neto and the ENGIE Green Hydrogen Regional Representative for Latin America Koen Langie.

The green-hydrogen bet

Green Hydrogen has been name done of the best bets in the energy transition to a carbon-neutral world. It is obtained through renewable-source electrolysis and can replace fossil fuels in carbon-intensive industries.

ENGIE’s global goal is to create a strong green-hydrogen position. By 2030, the Company expects to have developed the installed capacity to produce 4 GW of green hydrogen worldwide, and Brazil is a key region in this pursuit, given the Group’s presence in the country and abundant renewable energy.
To foster partnerships and studies in this area, ENGIE recently joined the Brazilian Hydrogen Association (“Associação Brasileira de Hidrogênio” – ABH2) as the entity’s first member in the energy industry. Worldwide, the Group already has 70 industrial scale green hydrogen projects in operation (20 projects > 50MW) in 10 countries.