Ecopetrol greenlights green hydrogen production in Colombia

The pilot test began at the Cartagena refinery and the company presented its $2.5 billion Low Carbon Hydrogen Strategic Plan, which includes projects up to 2040.

The Ecopetrol Group announced the start of its first green hydrogen production pilot project in Colombia. The news followed the start of operations of a 50-kilowatt PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyser and 270 solar panels at the Cartagena refinery.

The pilot test will be carried out over the next three months. It will use industrial water for the daily production of 20 kg of high-purity green hydrogen. The firm seeks to gather information on the operation, maintenance, reliability and scalability of the technologies used, which will lead to further tests.

Ecopetrol aims to assess both the technical and environmental feasibility, and performance of green hydrogen generation. This will also provide information on the impact on the use of inputs such as water and electrical power. The green hydrogen produced will be used to improve the quality of fuels produced at the facility.

Going forward, the firm is moving forward with the acquisition of two electrolytic hydrogen generation systems with refuelling stations for vehicle mobility applications. These initiatives are expected to begin early next year.