Cocal, Siemens, and GIZ Advance Green Hydrogen Production in Ethanol Plants

Cocal, in collaboration with Siemens Brazil and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), has initiated studies focused on developing the production of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels at sugarcane-based ethanol plants in western São Paulo. According to the companies, this cooperation agreement was signed in February 2026, as part of the Brazil-Germany Cooperation for Sustainable Development, and is integrated into the Hydrogen International Expansion Program (H2Uppp), an initiative of the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The proposal outlines an assessment of the technical and economic pre-feasibility of integrating ethanol production with green hydrogen, e-methanol, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at one of Cocal's units. The study also encompasses alternatives for renewable electricity supply, including the utilization of a photovoltaic plant to meet the energy demand for green hydrogen production and a “power-to-X-methanol” unit dedicated to aviation fuel production. Another key aspect being analyzed involves optimizing the annual supply of CO2 to enable continuous operation of the power-to-X plant, thereby ensuring a stable supply of biogenic carbon. This initiative seeks to structure an industrial decarbonization model with the potential for replication across other companies, while also contributing to the development of a sustainable fuels market based on economic viability.