It takes about 15 minutes for the 1930s tram to cover the 7.5-kilometer path to the power plant. During the ride, employees chat about the animals they\u2019ve spotted along the way in previous weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about the monkey?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was here last week.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see the tapir?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did, but it\u2019s been a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
On this journey back to the early 20th century, the Port of Santos is looking to secure its future. \u201cWe are the only self-sustaining port in the world,\u201d says Anderson Pomini, 43, President of the Port Authority.<\/p>\n
He refers to the Itatinga Hydroelectric Plant in Bertioga, located on the S\u00e3o Paulo coast, which was built to supply the energy needs of the port 30 kilometers away. The current plan is to issue a call for bids in 2025, seeking interested parties to transition the plant to green hydrogen production. According to Pomini, the concession will last at least 25 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cA port is a strategic area for hydrogen production, especially for export. Supplying this port with renewable energy leads to local decarbonization and could even enable the use of ammonia as a more sustainable fuel for ships,\u201d says Drielli Peyerl, a senior researcher at the University of Amsterdam and an expert in energy transition, sustainable development, green hydrogen, and the carbon market.<\/p>\n
Following an open call, two companies are now preparing feasibility studies to determine the best way to transition Itatinga into the green hydrogen world. Experts believe a mix with other sustainable energy sources\u2014such as wind, solar, or even hydropower\u2014will be necessary.<\/p>\n
Green hydrogen is a clean fuel that emits no carbon during production. It\u2019s obtained through a chemical process called electrolysis, where electricity is used to split hydrogen from oxygen in water. However, this technology is far more expensive than conventional energy, raising concerns about the project’s cost.<\/p>\n
Currently, producing one kilogram of hydrogen costs around $2 (roughly R$10.90), whereas green hydrogen intended for Itatinga is expected to cost about $5.50 (R$29.90).<\/p>\n
Specialists like Drielli believe that with growing interest and research, the cost will decrease over time. American consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimates that Brazil will receive $200 billion (R$1.08 trillion) in green hydrogen projects over the next 20 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still need to figure out a few things. Is there demand? What\u2019s the market? Who will buy it? We need to understand this before moving forward,\u201d says Rafael Apolin\u00e1rio dos Santos, 33, Utilities Manager at the Port Authority. He points out the potential for export in the form of ammonia, which can later be reconverted into hydrogen.<\/p>\n
Pomini’s vision also includes revitalizing the village of Itatinga, which is part of the municipality of Bertioga. The project foresees R$500 million in investments for the transition to green hydrogen, which could decarbonize the Port of Santos and increase the plant\u2019s contribution to the energy supply for the port complex. Current production is operating at nearly half capacity.<\/p>\n
The plant currently produces 15 megawatts per hour, but Pomini believes it has the potential to increase to 29 megawatts. With clean energy, he believes the port could be completely powered by Itatinga’s output. Apolin\u00e1rio estimates that about 100 megawatts would be needed to meet the port\u2019s total demand.<\/p>\n
The plant’s structure has been preserved since its inauguration in 1910. It has five generators supplying electricity to six terminals. According to Pomini, it could serve more companies, but this didn\u2019t happen because of a choice made during Jair Bolsonaro\u2019s administration (2019-2022). At that time, the priority was to prepare the Port Authority for a privatization that never materialized.<\/p>\n
The terminals were instructed not to rely on Itatinga’s energy and encouraged to find alternatives. Many did just that, as the port’s management focused on building financial reserves to make it more attractive to potential buyers, accumulating over R$2 billion.<\/p>\n
Before the privatization push, the plant generated R$50 million in annual profit. After losing terminal clients, it became R$8 million in deficit per year.<\/p>\n
Whether the plant remains under state control or not is a debate that doesn’t seem to faze Rodolfo dos Santos Neto, 45, the plant\u2019s technical manager for the past 13 years. For him, managing Itatinga is the realization of a family legacy.<\/p>\n
His great-grandfather, Jos\u00e9 Neto Filho, arrived in 1908 to help build the plant. His grandfather, Jos\u00e9 Neto, worked there, and his father, Bertac\u00ednio Neto, was born in Itatinga.<\/p>\n
Rodolfo attended the local school, the first one inaugurated in Bertioga in 1918. He was baptized in the Immaculate Conception Church, built in 1942, with stained glass and furnishings brought from England, all still preserved. The sprawling green fields with 61 worker houses\u2014mostly vacant now\u2014were his childhood playground.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy childhood was in Itatinga. We had a doctor, dentist, cinema, grocery store, bakery, club, church. Working here is like coming full circle,\u201d he recalls, gesturing toward the modest English-style wooden bleachers by the soccer field and a trophy room for staff tournaments.<\/p>\n
The idea of building a dedicated power plant came from Eduardo Guinle and C\u00e2ndido Gaffr\u00e9e, who were then the main concessionaires of the Port of Santos through the Companhia Docas de S\u00e3o Paulo. They bought the Pelaes Farm at the foot of the Serra do Mar in Bertioga, and construction started in 1906, with the plant inaugurated on October 10, 1910.<\/p>\n
Much of what was built in those early years remains today, which is why the Port Authority sees tourism potential. In partnership with the Bertioga City Hall, weekend visits have been offered\u201440 people per day. The site had been closed since 2012, when 12 people showed symptoms of malaria.<\/p>\n
Until 1927, the plant\u2019s energy surplus was used for public lighting in Santos and S\u00e3o Vicente.<\/p>\n
\u201cItatinga once supplied power to the capital,\u201d Apolin\u00e1rio notes.<\/p>\n
He adds that there has been interest from companies in taking over the plant for clean energy production, but the Port Authority would still be responsible for maintenance, which he says is not feasible.<\/p>\n
Getting to the plant by car is impossible. From Bertioga, a small boat is needed to cross a short distance. From Santos, a speedboat is required with a skilled pilot who knows the varying depths of the canal. The hour-long trip is often accompanied by flocks of scarlet ibises and passes through mangroves, with nearby beaches frequented by millionaires\u2014for example, S\u00e3o Pedro Beach, where ex-Beatle Paul McCartney spent a few days last year.<\/p>\n
The transition to green hydrogen is also seen as a potential draw for ecotourism in the region.<\/p>\n
However, this could present a challenge, as the initial process for producing green hydrogen requires spotless water. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing innovations that could allow for the use of less clean water,\u201d says Drielli.<\/p>\n
Rodolfo and the plant’s 20 current employees are concerned about the plant\u2019s future but remain somewhat disconnected from the green hydrogen discussions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are pumas and yellow-headed caimans along the way here,\u201d they point out. \u201cDid you see any?\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: Folha de S. Paulo<\/em><\/p>\n Click here to access the original news report: https:\/\/www1.folha.uol.com.br\/mercado\/2024\/10\/entre-jacares-macacos-e-guaras-vermelhos-porto-de-santos-planeja-hidrogenio-verde.shtml<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n