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Federal Government Planning Seeks to Unlock Connections for 6 GW and Enable Billion-Dollar Projects Stalled by Lack of Infrastructure
Brazil may be close to a new milestone in energy transition. Green hydrogen in the Northeast has attracted billions in investments but faces bottlenecks in the transmission network that hinder the release of large projects. To change this scenario, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) announced that the technical feasibility studies by the Energy Research Company (EPE) will be completed by December 2025, aiming to release 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 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 necessary infrastructure to feed electrolyzers in electro-intensive projects, the basis for developing decarbonization hubs in Brazil. The secretary acknowledged that the current planning “has proven insufficient” and revealed a partnership with the National Electric System Operator (ONS) to map “spaces and strategies” that enable the first large projects by 2030 and decarbonization hubs by 2035.
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The Abihv and the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (Abeeólica) also requested the anticipation 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: only the Spanish project Solatio, in the Export Processing Zone of Parnaíba (PI), had an investment valued at R$ 27 billion denied due to limitations in the electrical network. According to Aneel, which endorsed ONS’s opinion, there is a risk of structural overload and voltage collapse in substations in the region, especially given the absence of immediate reinforcements in the system.
The decision also impacted billion-dollar projects by Casa dos Ventos and the Australian giant Fortescue, both at the Port of Pecém (CE). In total, the Ministry of Mines and Energy records 11 green hydrogen projects formally seeking connection to the system, which together total 45 GW of capacity by 2038.
Studies Aim to Expand Network to Unlock Projects by 2030
In the studies by the EPE that will be submitted to the MME by the end of the year, the goal is to increase the connection capacity by 4 GW, with the possibility of bringing forward an additional 2 GW based on reassessments made by the ONS.
The transmission study agenda for 2025, released by the EPE, includes 37 technical analyses, with 15 new and 22 starting in 2024. Among the highlights:
- Assessment of the incorporation of green hydrogen loads in the Northeast (study 9);
- Increase in export capacity of the region (study 1);
- Infrastructure reinforcement for data centers in the Southeast and South;
- Alternatives for energy supply in states in the North region;
- Study on potential electrical interconnection between Brazil and Bolivia.
Stalled Investments Total Over R$ 100 Billion
In the case of Casa dos Ventos, the planned investment in Ceará exceeds R$ 49 billion just in green hydrogen, plus another R$ 50 billion in data centers, creating one of the largest technological hubs in the country. Even with technical studies indicating a surplus of 2 GW of capacity in the region, the project received a negative opinion.
Meanwhile, Fortescue, which plans an investment of R$ 17.5 billion to produce up to 2.1 GW in green energy, also faces a similar blockage, raising alarms about the urgency for modernization and expansion of the national transmission network.
Green Hydrogen in the Northeast Depends on Agile Energy Policy
The development of green hydrogen in the Northeast is among the main pathways for Brazil to achieve its decarbonization targets and take a leading role in exporting clean energy. However, the lack of network infrastructure threatens to compromise the attractiveness of projects and the confidence of investors.
For Barral, the ongoing studies should support the decisions that enable the first enterprises and lay 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 start generating concrete benefits by the end of this decade,” said the secretary.
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