Intensification of German-Brazilian cooperation on green transformation 

Unigel and thyssenkrupp nucera have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to increase the capacity of the green hydrogen production plant in Bahia, Brazil, from 60 megawatts (MW) to 240 MW.

The signing ceremony took place in Belo Horizonte during the visit of Dr. Robert Habeck, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

This is an important step for both companies to continue their good cooperation to accelerate the green transformation by developing the green hydrogen economy worldwide.

Unigel’s plant will be the first in Brazil to produce green hydrogen on an industrial scale.

It is scheduled for delivery at the end of the year.

In the first phase, it will have a total capacity of 60 MW, enabled by thyssenkrupp nucera’s standard electrolyzers.

The initial production capacity will reach 10,000 tonnes/year of green hydrogen for the production of green ammonia in the volume of 60,000 tonnes/year.

Unigel is one of the largest chemical companies in Latin America and Brazil’s largest nitrogen fertilizer producer.

The new plant will be a major driver for the region’s development.

“Unigel’s green hydrogen plant will be the first on an industrial scale in Brazil. We continue to negotiate strategic investment partnerships to enable the new phases of the project,” said Roberto Noronha Santos, CEO of Unigel.

Green hydrogen and ammonia will be offered to customers seeking to decarbonize their production chains, such as the steel industry, oil refineries, and ammonia producers.

Green ammonia will also be used in Unigel’s value chain, as it is a raw material for producing fertilizers and acrylics.

“Brazil has not only set ambitious climate protection plans but is also implementing them. In particular, this includes consistently exploiting the opportunities green hydrogen offers.”

“This is because Brazil, like other countries in Latin and South America, is also predestined to lead the way in the green transformation by consistently exploiting the potential of renewable energies.”

“With our technologies for developing a hydrogen economy, we are contributing to paving the way for the green transformation,” says Dr. Werner Ponikwar, CEO and Chairman of thyssenkrupp nucera AG & Co. KGaA.

Federal Minister Dr. Robert Habeck will travel to Brazil and Colombia from March 11 to 15.

The trip aims to strengthen economic relations and climate cooperation with Brazil and Colombia.

Brazil and Colombia play a crucial role in global climate protection.

This year’s EEBA (German-Brazilian Business Meeting) will take place in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, where Federal Minister Dr. Robert Habeck will hold talks with representatives from politics and business.

Participation in the signing ceremony is part of the delegation’s official program.