Located at the North Fluminense Thermoelectric Plant (TPP) in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, the project uses on-site solar power to produce hydrogen, which is used to cool the plant’s generators.

For now, the focus is on improving efficiency and reducing operating costs at the Norte Fluminense TPP, with potential for commercial hydrogen sales in the future.

The initiative was developed under the National Electric Energy Agency’s (ANEEL) Research, Development and Innovation (PROPDI) programme, and represented an investment of R$4.5m ($800,000).

The plant features a blockchain-based monitoring system that records hydrogen production data in real time, along with a patented multi-source energy management system.

The latter was developed and certified by Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), and designed to optimise the balance between solar generation, hydrogen production, and plant energy demand.

Fabio Steiner, R&D and Innovation Advisor at EDF, said the development and operation of the pilot plant will “contribute to enhancing knowledge and accelerate learning about technologies such as electrolysis, facilitating the implementation of larger-scale projects.”

As the first hydrogen initiative in northern Rio de Janeiro developed under ANEEL’s R&D framework, the project positions EDF Power Solutions as an early mover in Brazil’s emerging hydrogen economy.

The nation is seeing a surge of large-scale green hydrogen projects aimed at export, with regions such as the EU viewing Brazil as a key future supplier thanks to its abundant, low-cost renewable energy.