Maria Gabriela da Rocha Oliveira was announced as Country Manager, with the remit of leading the firm’s commercial and partnership strategies across Brazil and the wider region.

Maria Gabriela da Rocha Oliveira © Electric Hydrogen

Electric Hydrogen said its entry into Brazil came at a “pivotal” moment, with the country finalising its legal hydrogen framework and incentives to bolster production and use.

It also claims its factory-made, large-scale electrolyser plants are “uniquely suited” to Latin America, with plans to partner with local project developers focused on green fertilisers, e-fuels, and heavy industry decarbonisation.

“The combination of abundant renewable energy and heavy reliance on imported nitrogen fertiliser creates a clear opportunity for competitive production,” said Electric Hydrogen CEO Raffi Garabedian.

Da Rocha Oliveira previously led Shell Latin America’s energy strategy and carbon initiatives on fertilisers and renewables, with earlier experience at the solar firm led by Garabedian, First Solar.

“Our mission is to make clean hydrogen economically viable at scale, and Latin America is ready to show what that future looks like,” she said.

The company claims its electrolyser plants can produce some of the cheapest green hydrogen on the market, thanks to high stack-level efficiency and reduced EPC costs due to its factory-built method.

However, it is yet to operate one beyond 10MW in scale. Its first 100MW plant, which will be used by e-fuels maker Infinium in Texas, US, is due to begin producing molecules before the end of 2025.

This new appointment comes after it appointed a European, Middle East and North Africa General Manager to build up its footprint in the region.