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Federal government planning seeks to unlock connections for 6 GW and make viable billion-dollar projects blocked by lack of infrastructure
Brazil may be close to a new milestone in the energy transition. Green hydrogen in the Northeast has attracted billions in investment, but it faces bottlenecks in the transmission network that are hindering the release of large projects. To change this scenario, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) announced that the technical feasibility studies of the Energy Research Company (EPE) will be completed by December 2025, with the aim of releasing connections of up to 6 GW in the region.
The statement was made by the Secretary of Energy Transition and Planning of the MME, Thiago Barral, during an event of the Brazilian Association of the Green Hydrogen Industry (ABIHV), held at the Chamber of Deputies last Tuesday (6).
Planning to release the first green hydrogen hubs
According to Barral, the studies aim to identify the infrastructure needed to power electrolyzers in electro-intensive projects, which are the basis for the development of decarbonization hubs in Brazil. The secretary acknowledged that current planning “has proven insufficient” and revealed a partnership with the National Electric System Operator (ONS) to map “spaces and strategies” that will enable the first major projects by 2030 and decarbonization hubs by 2035.
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A Abihv and the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (Abeeólica) also requested the advance of the Energy Transmission Grant Plan (POTEE) to ensure predictability for investors and accelerate infrastructure works.
Green hydrogen in the Northeast: 45 GW at risk due to lack of connection
The urgency is real: the Spanish company Solatio's project alone, in the Parnaíba Export Processing Zone (PI), had an investment estimated at R$27 billion denied due to limitations in the electrical grid. According to Aneel, which endorsed the ONS's report, there is a risk of structural overload and voltage collapse in substations in the region, especially given the lack of immediate reinforcements in the system.
The decision also affected billion-dollar projects in House of the Winds and the Australian giant Fortescue, both in the Port of Pecém (CE). In total, the Ministry of Mines and Energy records 11 green hydrogen projects formally applying for connection to the system, which together add up 45 GW of capacity by 2038.
Studies aim to expand network to unlock projects by 2030
In the EPE studies that will be delivered to the MME by the end of the year, the objective is to expand the connection capacity in 4 GW, with the possibility of anticipating more 2 GW based on reassessments made by ONS.
The transmission study agenda for 2025, released by EPE, foresees 37 technical analyses, with 15 new and 22 starting in 2024. Highlights include:
- Assessment of the insertion of loads of green hydrogen in the Northeast (study 9);
- Increasing the region’s export capacity (study 1);
- Reinforcement of infrastructure for data centers in the Southeast and South;
- Alternatives for energy supply in states in the Northern region;
- Study on possible electrical interconnection between Brazil and Bolivia.
Investments blocked total more than R$100 billion
In the case of Casa dos Ventos, the planned investment in Ceará exceeds R$49 billion in green hydrogen alone, in addition to another R$50 billion in data centers, creating one of the largest technology hubs in the country. Even with technical studies indicating an excess of 2 GW of capacity in the region, the project received a negative opinion.
Already Fortescue, which foresees an investment of R$17,5 billion to produce up to 2,1 GW of green energy, is also facing a similar blockage, which raises the alarm about the urgency of modernizing and expanding the national transmission network.
Green hydrogen in the Northeast depends on agile energy policy
The development of green hydrogen in the Northeast is one of the main ways for Brazil to achieve its decarbonization goals and become a leading exporter of clean energy. However, the lack of grid infrastructure threatens to compromise the attractiveness of projects and investor confidence.
For Barral, the studies in progress should support decisions that make the first projects viable and create the foundations for a new sustainable energy model in the country. “We are seeking urgent solutions so that projects do not remain on paper and begin to generate concrete benefits by the end of this decade,” said the secretary.
