The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC, Woodlands, TX) and LACTEC (Instituto de Tecnologia para o Desenvolvimento, Brazil) have signed a cooperative agreement to develop projects in energy and the environment, particularly those promoting fuel cells for power generation and energy storage, in Brazil. The not-for-profit research institutes seek to collaborate on demonstration projects that use fuel cells to provide electricity to remote areas of Brazil.
Patrice Parsons, director of development at HARC, said the institutes hope to create a gateway between the US and Brazil and to work together to investigate technologies that have potential for bringing power to millions in northern Brazil. “We plan to work with Brazil's government, Sieco and other partners on projects that can determine whether it is feasible to produce power systems that generate hydrogen from water for later use as fuel to generate electricity,” Parsons said. “For that purpose, we will test hydrogen fuel cells' application in generating power, improving system optimization and proving a zero-emission source of energy.”
"We are seeking clean distributed generation solutions that can help Brazil overcome severe energy shortages,” stated Henrique Jose Ternes Neto, CEO of LACTEC. “Through our collaboration with HARC and others, we hope to recommend immediate technology solutions that can help provide energy to isolated communities.”
