Mato Grosso do Sul has just taken a significant step in the technological race for green hydrogen. On Tuesday, May 5th, the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) inaugurated the Copa H2 Modular Laboratory, a space dedicated to pioneering research in the country: the mixing of green hydrogen with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for industrial applications.
The project stems from a partnership between UFMS, through the Laboratory of Advanced Technologies in Energy and Sustainability (LaTES), and Copa Energia, with support from the Government of Mato Grosso do Sul via Fundect. The proposal aims to reduce pollutant emissions associated with LPG without compromising the energy efficiency already achieved by sectors such as food and flat glass.
How does the technology developed at the university work?
At the heart of the initiative is MixOby, equipment named after the word "oby," which means green in Tupi-Guarani. Developed internally by UFMS, it produces renewable hydrogen from water, using solar energy, and injects this hydrogen in real time directly into the LPG line of Copa Energia's industrial client.
The expected result is cleaner combustion, with less release of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), gases associated with the greenhouse effect and respiratory problems. Coordinated by Professor Cauê Alves Martins, from the Physics Institute of UFMS, the project brought together about 20 researchers over 20 months of studies. Copa Energia expects to bring the technology to commercial operation by the end of 2026.
Among the projected gains for the industrial sector, the following stand out:
- Reducing CO₂ and NOx emissions without the need to completely replace the existing LPG infrastructure.
- Direct application in energy-intensive sectors, such as food production and flat glass manufacturing.
- Generating proprietary knowledge with the potential for licensing and expansion to other industrial clients.
A journey that began earlier
The Copa H2 project is not an isolated initiative. In April 2025, UFMS (Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul) had already inaugurated the first industrial pilot plant for green hydrogen in the Central-West region, located in the University City of Campo Grande. That structure, the H2V+ (Multi-User Laboratory for Studies on Green Hydrogen), has the capacity to produce up to one ton of hydrogen per month from solar panels and electrolyzers, in partnership with the Brazilian Network for Certification, Research and Innovation (RBCIP). The goal was to train approximately 500 specialized professionals per year. Copa H2 represents a natural development of this foundation, now with a narrower focus and an industrial partner defined from the outset.
The regulatory context that supports progress
Initiatives like this are advancing within a legal framework that is rapidly consolidating. Law 14.948, enacted in August 2024, created the National Low-Carbon Hydrogen Policy, bringing together four pillars:
- The National Hydrogen Program (PNH2).
- The Low Carbon Hydrogen Development Program (PHBC).
- The Brazilian Hydrogen Certification System (SBCH2).
- The Special Incentive Regime for Low Carbon Hydrogen Production (Rehidro), which suspends the collection of PIS/Pasep and Cofins taxes on inputs in the sector for five years.
In November 2025, a decree detailed the technical certification criteria, including the life cycle analysis methodology used to measure emissions. In April 2026, the Ministry of Mines and Energy presented to the National Energy Policy Council a proposal for guidelines organized into six axes, ranging from scientific and technological strengthening to market opening. According to the Ten-Year Energy Plan of the Energy Research Company, Brazil would have the technical capacity to produce up to 1.8 gigatons of hydrogen per year by 2031, with more than R$ 200 billion in projects already submitted, mainly concentrated in Ceará and Piauí.
Where does Brazil fit into the global movement?
The technological race is not exclusively Brazilian. Researchers from the Polytechnic School of USP, linked to the Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation, announced in December 2025 the development of a membrane-free electrolyzer, an approach that seeks to reduce costs and increase the durability of the equipment by eliminating one of the most expensive components in the chain.
This effort aligns with analyses from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which projects a drop of up to 40% in the cost of electrolyzers in the short term and up to 80% in the long term, potentially making green hydrogen competitive with blue hydrogen before 2030. Internationally, groups like Iberdrola continue to expand plants in Spain, in partnership with bp, with projects that include Brazil among priority markets.
For companies that rely on electrolyzers, certification systems and integration between renewable energy and industrial processes, the simultaneous advancement of academic research and regulation creates a concrete window of opportunity. The Copa H2 Modular Laboratory illustrates this movement well: it connects applied science, private capital and public policy around the same objective, making the Brazilian industrial energy matrix cleaner without losing competitiveness.
