A vessel developed by Itaipu and Itaipu Parquetec was launched this Wednesday (12th), during COP30, in Belém.
Itaipu Binacional launched BotoH2 – the first 100% green hydrogen-powered boat in Latin America – on Wednesday (12) in a ceremony on Combu Island, in Belém (PA). The launch was part of Itaipu’s extensive program at the World Climate Conference (COP30) in the capital of Pará. The boat was developed in partnership with Itaipu Parquetec and will be used for selective waste collection on the islands of Belém.
The event was attended by the Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino; the Brazilian Director-General of Itaipu, Enio Verri; the Paraguayan Director-General, Justo Zacarias Irún; Coordination Directors Carlos Carboni (Brazil) and Júlio Paredes (Paraguay); Administrative Director Iggor Rocha; Executive Technical Director Renato Sacramento; Itaipu Parquetec Superintendent Director Irineu Colombo; and Technology Director Alexandre Leite.
The project was incorporated into Itaipu’s support actions for the realization of COP30 in Belém, in partnership with the Government of Brazil. In total, the company invested R$ 1.3 billion in a series of infrastructure works and other projects that enabled the conference and will remain as a legacy for the population of Belém.
“All the people living in Belém do Pará owe a great debt of gratitude to Itaipu. I am here, on behalf of the people of Pará, to say thank you for what you have done in our city, for the interventions that Itaipu Binacional made to prepare Belém to host the world’s largest climate debate event,” remarked Minister Celso Sabino.
Enio Verri presented Itaipu’s series of investments in the energy transition, from the 100% hydrogen-powered boat, research in biogas, biomethane, and green oil, to electricity generation through solar panels on the reservoir’s water surface.
“There is no better place to make this launch than at a gathering like this, where 194 countries are present, reflecting on our future. There is no better place to evaluate the importance of respecting nature and the extreme urgency of saving the planet,” said Enio Verri.
According to Justo Zacarias, the hydrogen-powered boat launched by Itaipu demonstrates that the company has not stopped at hydroelectric production and is thinking about the future by investing in other clean and renewable energy sources, such as solar generation on the reservoir. “We must recognize and congratulate the enormous contribution that Itaipu has made here at COP30,” he emphasized.
In Irineu Colombo’s view, nearly 20 years of research on green hydrogen prove that Brazil is capable of developing new technologies. “Today we are a benchmark for anyone who wants to sell solutions to Brazil, as companies working in technology see that there is knowledge here,” he stated.
The boat will be under the responsibility of the Research Support and Development Foundation (FADESP) of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), which will monitor both its use in selective collection and the refueling with green hydrogen, produced at the university, in addition to using it for research purposes. The agreement also includes environmental education actions and structuring selective collection in the capital, supporting four waste picker cooperatives in the city.
The vessel weighs 1.5 tons and has a cargo capacity of 9 tons. It is made of aluminum, measuring 9.5 m in length and 3 m in width. It features a complementary integrated solar panel (photovoltaic) system and a battery bank. The boat emits no noise or pollutants: the only byproduct of the hydrogen engine is pure water.
The prototype presented at COP30 has the potential to be a replicable model for different regions and applications, and can be used for transporting people, in sustainable tourism activities, or in social initiatives, such as the boat itself, which will serve waste collection in riverside communities in Belém.
