The main objective of the research to generate energy using hydrogen at AES Tietê is to partially replace fossil fuel and reduce damage from the greenhouse effect.

The company AES Tietê, one of the most efficient electricity generators in Brazil, together with Hytron, a technology-based company and innovation and IATI – Advanced Institute of Technology and Information, are in a research project with the objective of generating energy through hydrogen. The main objectives of the partnership are to replace fossil fuels and considerably reduce current greenhouse gas emissions.

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To this end, an adaptation kit will be developed for the use of hydrogen in the GMG and a national electrolyser, which will make the cost of producing hydrogen comparable to that of diesel.

Julia Rodrigues, R&D and Innovation coordinator at AES Tietê, says that “The project aims to partially replace fossil fuel and considerably reduce current emissions of greenhouse gases. Today, it is common to use diesel GMG systems mainly as energy backup, at peak times, in rural areas and also in isolated systems, generating a very high environmental impact”.

To make this project viable, Hytron is developing a low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) electrolyser, whose material is preferably civil, which will generate hydrogen from water.

IATI is designing a conversion kit so that diesel generators can run on a 50% H2 and 50% diesel hybrid that can be used for existing and depreciable assets.

The project will have an investment of BRL 4,2 million for construction, testing and evaluation, which will provide a viable and ecologically correct alternative to GMG diesel using H2.

The coordinator of AES Tietê concluded by saying that “Today there are no commercial systems that allow the use of hydrogen to replace diesel in GMG. Our estimate of sales of kits and electrolysers is 0,1% of the market in the first year, with growth of 10% per year”.