The hydrogen-powered Marica bus will be evaluated by scientists
2 min read
Between May 29 and 31, the hydrogen-powered prototype bus will be the highlight of the foreign professionals and authorities in the energy sector who will be in Marica, a municipality in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. During the third Brazilian Hydrogen Conference held in the city, professionals will have the opportunity to learn about research developments and even travel in the vehicle, which will be traded during the event. Marika is a partner of COPPE/UFRJ in clean energy development and aims to make its municipal bus fleet 100% sustainable by 2034.
The event will be attended by international personalities, such as Laurent Anthony, of the French Committee for Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy (CEA); Katsuhiko Hirose, responsible for developing Toyota’s first hybrid car; Isabelle Moretti, Principal Scientist in Hydrogen Studies at Pau University in France; and Carlos Fúnez Guerra, a Doctor of Mining and Energy Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
During the conference, topics such as the energy transition, decarbonisation, and remanufacturing will be discussed, with a focus on hydrogen utilization. Mayor Fabiano Horta notes that Marica has established municipal policy focused on sustainability, including giving tax benefits to companies that use clean energy.
“Our city is looking to the future, being a pioneer in adopting initiatives for large-scale hydrogen use,” says Horta.
In 2018, the municipality of Marica commissioned Coppe/UFRJ to develop a technology for hybrid electric buses, using hydrogen and ethanol as a base. This decision to invest in research, rather than buying an off-the-shelf product, was prompted by Finep’s current president, Celso Pancera, who at the time headed the Marica Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation (ICTIM).
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