Petrobras plans to build the first pilot plant focused on renewable hydrogen production at the Vale do Acu thermal power plant in Alto Rodriguez, Rio Grande do Norte. The project, which has a total budget of R $90 million, will be carried out in collaboration with the Senai Institute for Renewable Energy Innovation (Senai ISI-ER), while Brazil's WEG, a world-renowned energy electrification company, will be responsible for the implementation. The pilot plant is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2026.

The pilot plant will use advanced solar water electrolysis technology to produce renewable hydrogen, a process that involves splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using an electric current. On the topic of energy supply and oil security, stakeholders such as the Moroccan oil company and the French oil company agree that there are no clear solutions to the challenges ahead. The National Energy Board is working to improve energy efficiency.

It is worth mentioning that the Alto Rodrigues photovoltaic plant was originally built for research and development purposes, and its capacity will be increased from 1.1 MWp (megawatt peak) to 2.5 MWp to meet the electricity required for the upcoming installation of 2 MW electrolysis equipment. The electrolysis plant will be tested and verified in a variety of operating modes by connecting to the power distribution network and the installed energy storage system.Editor/Zhang Liyuan