The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) published the implementation plan for green hydrogen and its derivatives, prepared in collaboration with the private sector, academia and civil society.
The roadmap and plans for electric mobility and energy efficiency are the Government’s pillars for the second energy transition, said the head of the aforementioned portfolio, Omar Paganini.
Participating in the activity, which took place in the auditorium of the Executive Tower annex, were the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado; the Minister of the Environment, Adrián Peña; that of Transport and Public Works, José Luis Falero, and the representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Uruguay, Matías Bendersky.
The presentation was also accompanied by the head of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, José Luis Falero; the Undersecretary of Foreign Relations, Carolina Ache; his counterpart from MIEM, Walter Verri, and the presidents of UTE, Silvia Emaldi, and Ancap, Alejandro Stipanicic, among other authorities.
Paganini assured that the production of hydrogen and its derivatives is expected to represent, by 2040, a turnover of approximately 2,000 million dollars per year. He added that the development of this industry is expected to generate some 35,000 direct jobs in plant construction, operation and maintenance, logistics and technical education.
The Secretary of State pointed out that Uruguay has strengths in attracting long-term private investment for the development of green hydrogen, due to its solid regulatory frameworks and its institutional, political and legal stability.
“It is natural, as a national strategy, to bet on green hydrogen as the creation of a new export sector, a sector that does not exist in the country and that has significant growth potential,” he said.
Peña, meanwhile, said that, as far as the climate is concerned, this energy alternative is important, because it collaborates in the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which, by 60%, correspond to transportation. He added that the production of this element is a novelty on a global scale and that the portfolio is working to gain experience on the necessary natural resources, production, storage and transportation conditions. “Uruguay has opportunities, capabilities and competitive advantages in this,” he asserted.
As explained by the authorities, the basis of this second energy transition is the transformations carried out in the last decade, which allowed Uruguay to almost completely decarbonize its electricity matrix and reach a 97% share of renewable energies. In this sense, the quality, abundance and complementarity of the country’s wind and solar resources will allow competitive costs to be achieved for the production of hydrogen on a scale.
The Government’s strategy is part of the global decarbonization goals for the year 2050 and is also made up of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Transport and Public Works. In addition, Ancap, UTE and the IDB provide technical support.
Regarding the projections, a press release from the MIEM specified that countries in Europe, East Asia and the United States plan, for the coming years, a stage of significant demand for hydrogen and that, in this sense, Uruguay would have the conditions to position itself as a competitive exporter of this type of energy.
Green hydrogen is produced from water and renewable energy. Its use is planned for transport, thermal and industrial energy and raw materials, in order to promote decarbonisation.
The roadmap is available at Web page of the MIEM and until August 15, contributions and opinions will be received to complement this plan.
