Port of Açu and Fortescue to explore 300MW hydrogen plant in Brazil
Brazilian ports have been attracting foreign investors to benefit from its abundant renewable resources. Porto do Açu Operações SA has recently started exploring opportunities to become a hydrogen production hub in Brazil, which H2Bulletin exclusively covered in its recent article.
Today (16th March) the port authority announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Fortescue Future Industries Pty (FFI) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.
Both partners agreed to study the feasibility of building a 300 MW green hydrogen plant in the port area. The hydrogen would then be potentially converted to 250k tonnes of ammonia. In addition, the partners will also explore the potential for developing wind and solar projects, which would supply renewable energy to power the hydrogen plant.
The project would help the port play its role in driving sustainable industrialisation in the region and beyond to help hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as steel and steel.
Port of Açu is controlled by EIG through its subsidiary of Prumo Logística S.A. “We are thrilled to partner with FFI on this exciting project, which allows us to explore new opportunities in the growing green hydrogen space,” Carlos Tadeu Fraga, CEO of Prumo, said.
FFI Chief Executive Officer, Julie Shuttleworth, said, “FFI is assessing renewable energy and green hydrogen opportunities globally and will lead and drive the green energy and product industry as we transition away from fossil fuels.”
She further added, “The opportunity to establish totally new and future large-scale industries will drive growth in the Brazilian economy.”
Recently, an Australian start-up company Enegix Energy Pte Ltd, signed an MoU with the State Government of Ceará for multi-billion hydrogen production in the Port of Pecém area to produce 600k tonnes of green hydrogen annually.
