Fortescue moves ahead with hydrogen ambitions in Brazil’s northeast

The multinational is one of four companies that have a pre-contract signed with the Government of Ceará for the production of green hydrogen in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex. 

In addition to the new license, a bill has also been signed that allows the renewal of the assignment of the use of land in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex (CIPP) and the Export Processing Zone (ZPE) to be used in the implementation of the project.

The term, which is currently 20 years, will be extended to 40 years, with the possibility of renewal for another 40 years.

For the superintendent of Semace, this moment of prior approval of the Fortescue company’s license is the most important of the steps taken until the actual implementation of the company’s project in Ceará.

This stage is where the Environmental Impact Study is carried out and the viability of the project is effectively attested. 

After this approval, the next step is the installation license, which effectively allows works to begin.

Ceará has already signed 34 memorandums of understanding with national and international companies for the green hydrogen production chain at CIPP. It has also signed four pre-contracts. The indication is that investments could exceed R$145 billion.

Earlier in 2023, the ports of Rotterdam and Pecém along with two dozen other counterparties signed a deal to explore port development and green energies, such as offshore wind and hydrogen. Pecém is part owned by the Port of Rotterdam, which has already placed hydrogen at the core of its green business agenda. 

On 3 October 2023, Fortescue Energy announced that it had signed a framework procurement agreement with an electrolyser developer, Electric Hydrogen, for 1GW of EH2’s electrolyser systems to be supplied to green hydrogen projects globally.