Urgent! New green hydrogen hub at Porto do Açu will generate R$40 billion and create 5.600 jobs

Porto do Açu receives billion-dollar investment for the installation of a green hydrogen hub. The project promises to generate thousands of direct and indirect job vacancies.

O industrial district of Porto do Açu advances to transform into a reference in the energy transition in Brazil. The statement by the general director of the complex in the 5th district of São João da Barra, Vinícius Patel, during a public hearing held last Thursday (22), aims to install a green Hydrogen Hub and low carbon derivatives, generating thousands of jobs.

More than 5 thousand jobs will be created at Porto do Açu

With an estimate of BRL 40 billion in investments, the industrial plant estimates, during the four phases of implementation, the creation of 5.600 jobs. According to a survey on the Campos 24 Horas website, the estimate is 1.200 direct and indirect jobs in the initial stage alone.

According to Patel, the main objective is to make Porto do Açu become the port of the energy transition of a country on the path to what it calls neo-industrialization with the use of low carbon footprint energy sources. This phase also represents a new stage of opportunities, partnerships with universities, generation of jobs and income and training of people. 

Currently, the Porto do Açu is the largest thermoelectric complex in Latin Americaa, where more than 7 thousand jobs are created and, for the company, this is a source of pride, with this workforce training that does not only apply to the port, but people who have gone through training programs and are currently in other states in the country.

As opportunities are also envisaged in the hiring of service providers, for micro and small local companies that will serve the new industrial enterprise, based on the Supplier Development Program (PDF).

Green Hydrogen produced at Porto do Açu will not be exported

In the place where the green hydrogen hub, which aims to generate thousands of job vacancies The installation of an administrative and technological center, methanol production areas, substation, ammonia, green and blue hydrogen, shipping and supply areas and two treatment stations are planned. The entire world will consume new renewable fuels like H2V.

To meet the goals established in the Paris Agreement, it will be necessary to cut CO60 emissions by 2% by 2050, and only green hydrogen will allow the decarbonization of some sectors, such as steelmaking and fertilizer production. 

According to Vinícius, the focus of Porto do Açu is not exports. Porto do Açu is connected to the Southeast region, where 54% of the total Brazilian GDP is located. There is a wave of neo-industrialization in the country that will need this low-carbon footprint energy.

Among the industries that potentially consume hydrogen are iron and steel industrial plants, electricity generation refineries, injection of gas networks, as well as maritime, air and land transport.

Find out how hydrogen will be produced at the Hub

The production of hydrogen, which will create several jobs, involves the use of natural gas, through steam reforming, while the use of water is done through electrolyzers, involving the separation of water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.

Green hydrogen is transported via other chemicals such as ammonia or methanol. Estimates point to a production of 1,9 million tons per year of ammonia and 314 thousand tons per year of methanol. The 2.555 m³ of water per hour to be used is divided into 50% sea water, 40% reuse and 10% underground source.