Green hydrogen has gained space in the Brazilian energy debate as a “silver bullet” solution. It appears in discussions about decarbonization, exports, and industrial innovation.
But outside of marketing, there are uses that make sense now and others that still run into cost, efficiency, and infrastructure barriers. Separating myth from reality helps make better decisions.
What makes hydrogen truly “green”
Truth: the adjective “green” is not automatic. It depends on how it is produced.
Green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis using renewable electricity — solar, wind, or hydro. If the electricity comes from fossil sources, the hydrogen is no longer green, even if the process looks clean at first glance.
In Brazil, the potential exists because the electric grid is already mostly renewable. Even so, ensuring this origin in practice requires oversight and well-defined contracts.
Myth: green hydrogen is an energy source
Myth. Hydrogen is not a source; it is an energy carrier.
In practice, it works as a way to store and transport energy that was generated beforehand. First, electricity is spent to produce hydrogen. Later, it is converted back into energy or heat.
This matters because every conversion brings losses. Compared to using electricity directly, the hydrogen pathway is longer and less efficient.
Where green hydrogen makes sense in Brazil today
Truth: there are specific applications where hydrogen can be useful.
Some more realistic examples in the short and medium term:
- **Heavy industry**: steel, fertilizer, and chemical production, where direct use of electricity is difficult. - **High-temperature thermal processes**: when electrifying is not simple or cheap. - **Seasonal storage**: storing excess renewable energy for long periods, something batteries do not handle well.
In these cases, hydrogen can help reduce emissions where other solutions struggle.
Myth: green hydrogen will replace batteries and electrification
A recurring — and dangerous — myth.
For passenger cars, urban buses, and residential consumption, direct electrification with batteries is more efficient and mature. Fewer steps, fewer losses, lower operating cost.
Replacing everything with hydrogen in these applications would increase complexity without bringing a clear advantage.
A simple example
Charging an electric car directly from the grid uses less energy than producing hydrogen, compressing it, transporting it, and then converting it back into electricity inside the vehicle.
Truth: cost is still the main limitation
Today, producing green hydrogen in Brazil still costs more than fossil or electrified alternatives.
The reasons are well known:
- Electrolyzers are still expensive. - Transport and storage infrastructure is limited. - Production scale is small.
Even with cheap renewable electricity, the overall operation is costly. This does not invalidate the technology, but it limits where it enters first.
Myth: Brazil is already ready to export green hydrogen
A myth with a grain of truth.
Brazil has natural advantages — sun, wind, and water — and projects in the planning stage. But exporting hydrogen is not as simple as selling soybeans or ore.
Before that, it is necessary to have:
- Adapted port infrastructure. - Clear certification standards. - Long-term contracts with buyers.
Without these elements, exports remain more rhetoric than reality.
Truth: green hydrogen competes for renewable energy
Every unit of green hydrogen consumes electricity that could be used directly.
In a country that still needs to expand generation and grids, this creates an important choice: use energy to electrify current consumption or to produce hydrogen.
This decision changes according to region, sector, and time of day. There is no single answer — there is planning.
The real role of hydrogen in the energy transition
Green hydrogen is neither villain nor savior.
It tends to occupy niches where other solutions do not perform well, while direct electrification remains the priority for most consumption. In Brazil, the challenge lies less in the technology and more in choosing where it makes sense.
When applied with care, hydrogen helps. When treated as a solution for everything, it becomes a promise that is hard to fulfill.
Comments
Comments are public and the sole responsibility of the author. Don’t share personal data. We may store technical signals (e.g. IP hash) to reduce spam and remove abusive, illegal, or off-topic content.