Petrobras and Finep Launch R$150M Call to Drive National Hydrogen Technology

In June 2026, Petrobras and Finep launched an R$150 million program to develop domestic industrial-scale electrolyzers. Because Brazil currently lacks manufacturers for the core Stack component, this initiative aims to reduce technological dependence and foster local clean energy supply chains by requiring at least 50% national content.

New Petrobras Agreement Targets Low-Carbon Hydrogen at Scale

A cooperation agreement was signed at Petrobras headquarters, attended by Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, and Petrobras President Magda Chambriard. Minister Santos emphasized the initiative's importance for reindustrialization and national sovereignty, aiming to strengthen a technological supply chain while reducing costs. The project aims for innovative technology in equipment production, requiring at least 50% domestic content and advancements in known technologies.

President Magda also highlighted low-carbon hydrogen as crucial for decarbonization, noting that lowering electrolysis costs is a key objective. Petrobras is committed to a sustainable energy transition, aiming to place Brazil at the forefront of this agenda. 

The call for proposals will provide R$150 million in non-repayable funds from Finep and Petrobras, encouraging a major structural project requiring collaboration among at least three companies and one Science and Technology Institution. Renata Baruzzi, Petrobras’ Executive Director, explained that reducing technological dependence is essential for large-scale hydrogen adoption.

Finep President Luis Antonio Elias affirmed that Brazil has the major goal of leading the global energy transition, focusing on developing technologies for clean energy to position the country in the hydrogen supply chain.

Significance and Future Perspective

Currently, very few companies in Brazil manufacture hydrogen equipment, and none produce the core stack where the water-splitting reaction takes place. This funding encourages a localized supply chain from basic engineering to pre-commercial prototypes. The financing structure operates as a hybrid non-reimbursable funding model, where Finep and Petrobras provide equal shares of the public contribution, and beneficiaries are required to supplement this with matching funds. This funding is designed to support a single major structural project involving a network of partners.

By manufacturing electrolyzers domestically, Brazil aims to directly slash capital expenses and secure a formidable global clean hydrogen economy footprint. This domestic capability enables the nation to seamlessly leverage its vast renewable grid, achieving energy autonomy and cost-competitiveness while providing essential inputs to decarbonize energy-intensive industries like steelmaking and refining for the global clean hydrogen economy.

Impact on the Chemicals and Materials Industry

This program has a positive impact on the chemicals and materials industry by making clean hydrogen economically viable for decarbonization. It also secures domestic supply chains by necessitating at least 50% national technology by insulating the sector from global supply chain disruptions and import dependencies.

The Petrobras-Finep initiative addresses critical green hydrogen challenges by funding domestic manufacturing of essential electrolyzer stack technology to bridge the current technology gap. Concurrently, through a collaborative research and development model, this effort aims to scale up production to reduce high costs by eliminating international supply chain risks, securing Brazil's strategic energy transition goals.

The initiative drives a sustainable transformation in the chemicals and materials industry by replacing fossil fuel feedstocks with low-carbon hydrogen for cleaner synthesis. This approach decarbonizes traditional refining operations without causing major disruptions, while fostering a cross-sector innovation ecosystem that trains the specialized workforce needed to advance sustainable materials science.

Impact on the chemical hydrogen Industry

The global chemical hydrogen market size was calculated at USD 45.00 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 47.70 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 80.59 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.00% from 2026 to 2035.

According to Precedence Research, this initiative drives the chemical hydrogen industry by establishing domestic manufacturing for industrial-scale electrolyzers by overcoming high capital costs and foreign tech dependence, necessitating indigenous development of the stack. 

The initiative accelerates Brazil's low-carbon hydrogen economy by supply chain localization and mitigating external disruptions. It significantly reduces equipment costs and debt burdens through non-reimbursable funding. The development of a pre-commercial prototype bridges the perilous technological gap between basic research and commercial scaling.

To overcome critical industry limitations, the program mandates collaboration between research centers and commercial manufacturers to eliminate the domestic technology gap. By targeting the electrolyzer stack in the country's manufacturing framework shifts from an importer of hardware to an independent producer.

About Petrobras

Petrobras is a Rio de Janeiro-headquartered, state-controlled energy corporation renowned for its ultra-deepwater drilling expertise in Brazil's prolific pre-salt fields. Operating an end-to-end hydrocarbon model, the company extracts, refines, and distributes energy products while strategically expanding into biofuels to balance its core hydrocarbon lead with a steady evolution toward lower-carbon energy.

About Finep

Founded in 1995, FINEP is a premier Czech property developer operating in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. They mainly focus on creating self-sustaining neighborhoods rather than standalone buildings, integrating residential and commercial spaces with civic amenities. They also provide comprehensive client services under one roof, including mortgages, interior design, and insurance.