It is no coincidence that scientist Ernesto Chaves Pereira came to clean energy research through the path of electrochemistry.

This area of knowledge, which explores the interactions between electricity and chemical reactions, plays a central role in the energy transition, as its application enables clean and efficient ways of producing, storing and using energy.

For example, splitting the water molecule to generate green hydrogen is an electrochemical process that can make a big difference in a low-carbon economy. In fact, it sustainably generates a molecule that can be used both as a clean and efficient fuel and as a feedstock for various products, helping to decarbonize the transportation sector and several industries.

At CINE, the production of green hydrogen is the central topic of one of the four research divisions, GH₂ (short for Green Hydrogen), which is coordinated by Professor Ernesto. The program currently has around 70 members, including researchers and students.

With a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree from UFSCar — all in the field of Chemistry — Ernesto Pereira has been working on the development of materials for use in electrochemical processes for over 30 years. As soon as he completed his doctorate in 1994, he became a Professor at UFSCar, reaching the position of Full Professor in 2015.

He is also currently the general coordinator of the EMBRAPII unit at UFSCar, dedicated to the development of materials. EMBRAPII (Brazilian Company for Industrial Research and Innovation) is a non-profit social organization that acts as a bridge between government, research institutions and industry to promote technological innovation in the country.

To date, Ernesto P. Chaves has published over 250 scientific articles in international journals and supervised over 130 research papers by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. He is a CNPq research productivity fellow at the highest level, 1A.

In this interview, Professor Ernesto talks about the possibilities that Brazil has to stand out in the energy transition and what CINE is doing in this context within the Green Hydrogen division.

What is the importance of electrochemistry and its applications today, in the context of the energy transition?

Electrochemistry depends on the availability of large quantities of electrical energy, preferably renewable. It only makes sense to talk about energy transition and use electrochemical devices, whatever they may be, if the electrical energy is renewable, be it hydraulic, wind, photovoltaic or any other renewable source.

Based on this principle, it is important to remember that Brazil has a large availability of electrical energy from renewable sources. Not only is the installed capacity of renewable electrical energy in Brazil enormous, but the capacity for expansion of this energy is also very large, at least 25 times more than what we have installed today. This is truly an important differentiator for our country.

That said, how can we contextualize the energy transition and electrochemistry? Clean energy technologies are usually electrochemical, such as fuel cells, hydrogen production from water electrolysis, batteries and supercapacitors. So, we can say that electrochemistry and the different electrochemical devices are an important key in everything we talk about energy transition today.

In what sense is “green” the hydrogen at the GH₂ division ?

At CINE we work on a program focused on the production of low-carbon energy, with an emphasis on so-called green hydrogen. But, after all, what is green hydrogen?

It is hydrogen produced from the electrolysis of water — a process that separates water (H_₂O) into two gases: hydrogen and oxygen. This is done by using electricity to break down the water molecules: hydrogen is obtained at the electrode where the reduction occurs, and oxygen at the electrode where the oxidation occurs.

This hydrogen can be used as a clean energy source or as a raw material for various industries, such as the production of ammonia (essential for fertilizers) and other fundamental industrial processes.

What makes this process truly sustainable — and what sets green hydrogen apart — is the use of renewable electrical energy. And here Brazil has a major advantage: more than 80% of our electricity already comes from clean sources, such as hydroelectric plants, wind farms and solar plants.

At CINE, our differential is precisely this: we are developing technologies to produce hydrogen through water electrolysis, taking advantage of this abundance of renewable energy in Brazil. This puts the country in a strategic position in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

What are the major objectives and main challenges of CINE’s Green Hydrogen division?

In CINE’s Green Hydrogen division, we work in several research fronts with a common goal: to make hydrogen production more efficient, accessible and sustainable.

The first front is the development of new materials. We are looking for materials that are efficient, cheap and easy to produce to improve the performance of electrolyzer cells — the equipment responsible for separating water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The second research line focuses on the fundamental phenomena that occur during the electrolysis process. We study in detail the chemical reactions at the interface between the electrode and the solution, and how these reactions can be controlled and optimized to improve the energy yield of the system.

The third front involves the study of small-scale reactors in the laboratory. In these reactors, we test what we have learned in the previous stages — the new materials and knowledge about the reactions — to understand how all of this can be applied in practice, even if still on a reduced scale.

In addition, CINE’s Green Hydrogen division participates in an initiative of the International Energy Agency (IEA). This partnership seeks to standardize electrolyzer testing methods in laboratories around the world, allowing for fair and accurate comparison of results between different research groups.

Although we are still talking about laboratory-scale experiments, there are many opportunities to improve the efficiency of existing electrolyzers — and this is precisely one of the major challenges we seek to overcome.

How can the results of the division benefit society?

It is not only the results of the research that benefit society. The entire process of scientific and technological development, in itself, already represents an important gain. Why?

Because it trains highly qualified people. These include undergraduate and graduate students and even professionals with doctorates, all involved in the topic of renewable energy. By specializing in this area, these professionals take their knowledge to companies, universities and research centers in Brazil and abroad, multiplying the positive impact of what is done at CINE. This network effect is essential to accelerate the energy transition in the country.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that climate change is a global challenge — and it does not affect just one part of society, but all of humanity. And, in my view, there are two fundamental issues that need to be addressed together: replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency.

Many energy choices made in the past that seemed good at the time are now proving to be inefficient. A clear example is the automobile. Whether powered by gasoline, ethanol or electricity, when we look at the purpose of the car — transporting people or light cargo — we realize that most of the energy is used to move the vehicle itself, not the passenger.

The energy efficiency of individual transportation is incredibly low: only 2% to 4% of the fuel’s energy is actually converted into useful movement to move the person. This is because the car, in general, weighs much more than the person inside it.

Therefore, if we want to seriously tackle the climate crisis, the whole of society needs to act. It is not enough to change the energy source. It is also necessary to rethink the way we use this energy — and seek smarter and more efficient solutions.

Learn more about CINE’s Green Hydrogen program.