en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) will establish a Center of Excellence in Low-Carbon Hydrogen, aiming to enhance Brazil's capabilities in clean production and renewable energy utilization. The center is part of the Center of Excellence system of the Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (Embrapii), a social organization under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The announcement was made on Tuesday (30th) in Brasília (DF).
The center will bring together universities, research institutions, companies, and laboratories to develop cutting-edge national technologies in areas such as low-carbon hydrogen production, storage, transportation, safety, and industrial applications. Additionally, the institution will promote the training of highly qualified professionals, researchers, and technology leaders, as well as facilitate knowledge transfer to the production sector. Its goal is to integrate capabilities in technology entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and technology transfer, while encouraging the creation of startups, spin-offs, and new businesses in the hydrogen sector.
Brazil's Minister of Science and Technology, Luciana Santos, stated that this is a strategic decision to invest in scientific and technological capabilities to drive Brazil's low-carbon economy and competitiveness in the coming decades. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that Brazil is not only a consumer of future technologies but also a developer of these solutions. Embrapii President Alvaro Prata noted that through this center, Brazil will develop knowledge, expand frontiers, and master different technological routes, expressing hope that the center will genuinely build capabilities and provide safety guarantees for the country's activities in this field.
The center will receive an investment of 60 million reais from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT). A pilot plant will serve as an open innovation environment, connecting UFPR, Embrapii, companies, and startups for testing, integration, demonstration, and promotion of technologies, aiming to reduce risks and accelerate the technological maturity of products and processes.
The center will be integrated into the Brazilian Hydrogen Initiative, a strategy led by MCTI to coordinate and strengthen scientific, technological, innovation, and entrepreneurship actions across the entire hydrogen value chain. This Center of Excellence is also part of the Brazilian System of Hydrogen Laboratories (SisH2-MCTI).
