Brazilian researchers testing renewable hydrogen from ethanol pilot

In Brazil, Agencia FAPESP reports the University of São Paulo (USP) is testing the world’s first experimental station dedicated to the production of renewable hydrogen from ethanol. The project, carried out by the Research Center for Greenhouse Gas Innovation (RCGI), represents a milestone in the search for clean energy solutions and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The RCGI is an Engineering Research Center (ERC) created by FAPESP and Shell at the Engineering School of USP.

With an investment of BRL 50 million, the station is located on USP’s main campus in São Paulo city, and is part of a research and development project involving major companies and institutions such as Shell Brasil, Raízen, Hytron (now part of the Neuman & Esser Group), the Technology Center for the Chemical and Textile Industry (SENAI CETIQT) and USP itself, through the RCGI, as well as Toyota, Hyundai, Marcopolo and the São Paulo Metropolitan Urban Transport Company (EMTU). The technology developed aims to demonstrate the viability of ethanol as a vector for the production of sustainable hydrogen, taking advantage of the infrastructure that already exists in the country.

The pilot plant has the capacity to produce 100 kilos of hydrogen per day, which will be used to fuel three buses and two light vehicles, among others. The hydrogen produced will be tested in USP public transport buses and in the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo vehicles, both of which run on hydrogen.

At this stage, the conversion rate of ethanol to hydrogen and the fuel consumption and efficiency rates of the vehicles will be evaluated.