Book outlines strategic hydrogen panorama and points out paths for Brazil in the energy transition
- REDAÇÃO H2RADAR
- May 6
- 2 min read
With the advance of the climate crisis and the race for sustainable energy alternatives, renewable hydrogen has been regaining prominence in industrial and political agendas around the world. The book The Hydrogen Economy – Transition, decarbonization and opportunities for Brazil, written by researchers from GESEL (Grupo de Estudos do Setor Elétrico) - UFRJ and PUC-Rio, offers a careful and multidisciplinary analysis of the role of low-carbon hydrogen on the international scene — and, above all, of the unique conditions that position Brazil as a strategic player in this new market.
The work is based on a historical observation: despite initial promises, hydrogen has taken a back seat to the advance of battery-powered electric vehicles. However, the current moment is different. The drive for deep decarbonization of energy systems — especially in industrial and heavy transport sectors — has revived global interest in this source, now with robust technical, political and commercial support. Countries such as Japan, the United States and members of the European Union are already structuring public policies aimed at building hydrogen economies, with investments in production technologies, infrastructure and large-scale commercial applications.
Brazilian opportunity: structural advantages and challenges of institutional coordination
For Brazil, the book points to a rare confluence of favorable factors. The country has a predominantly renewable electricity grid, a high solar and wind capacity factor, robust transmission infrastructure, and developed port logistics — elements that qualify it as a potential exporter of renewable hydrogen in the medium and long term. This situation opens up space for the creation of a new national energy commodity, anchored in sustainable practices and aimed at markets that are demanding in terms of environmental criteria.
However, the book does not underestimate the challenges. Building the so-called “hydrogen economy” requires coordination between multiple institutional spheres: regulatory agencies, public policy makers, universities, the industrial sector, and sources of financing. To this end, the authors propose strengthening a national technical-regulatory framework, supported by an integrated hydrogen project assessment platform, developed within the scope of ANEEL’s R&D Program and financed by Energy Assets do Brasil. The tool allows the simulation of different production, logistics and end-use arrangements for hydrogen, based on technical, environmental and economic indicators, and is conceived as a dynamic system, in constant technological update.
With precise language and strategic vision, The Hydrogen Economy positions itself as a reference work for researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and investors who see hydrogen as a concrete response to the challenges of the energy transition — and a rare opportunity to reposition Brazil at the epicenter of global clean energy chains.
