Coema approves Fortescue's Environmental Impact Study for H2V project in Pecém

The State Environment Council (Coema) announced the approval of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) presented by Fortescue for implementing a plant to produce green hydrogen at the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex in Ceará. The decision came during a session held on Thursday (26 October). This approval represents an important milestone in industrialisation allied to the ongoing commitment to preserving the environment and promoting sustainable development in the state.

Fortescue submitted a complete and detailed EIA for evaluation by Coema, demonstrating its commitment to conducting its operations in an environmentally responsible manner. The Council carried out a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the EIA, considering all the environmental and social implications of the company's proposed project.

Fortescue's Environmental Impact Assessment addressed crucial issues such as the conservation of ecosystems, fauna and flora in the region, the management of water resources, the impact on local communities and necessary mitigation measures. After a thorough review, Coema concluded that Fortescue's EIA complies with all state environmental regulations and incorporates effective impact mitigation measures.

"This is an important step for our project at the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex (CIPP) and will allow us to continue moving forward to make the green hydrogen industry a reality in Brazil and the state of Ceará. We will continue working to develop the industry with a strong commitment to the environment and the communities where we operate," said Agustín Pichot, Fortescue's president in Latin America.

Gianpaola Ciniglio, Environment Manager at Fortescue Latin America, emphasised that Coema's approval of Fortescue's EIA is testimony to the state's commitment to balancing economic growth with environmental protection. "This process aimed to ensure compliance with local environmental requirements and international standards of good practice. It also allowed Fortescue to deepen the study of the natural and social environment to continue the development of our project with great commitment, and thus acquire its preliminary environmental licence," she says.

On 2 August 2023, Fortescue presented the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Environmental Impact Report (RIMA) during a Public Hearing held in the Auditorium of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (IFCE) - Pecém Campus. The hearing ensured popular participation in analysing projects and activities subject to the environmental licensing process. Fortescue has ensured the early engagement of the communities involved since the beginning of the preparation of the EIA/RIMA, listening to doubts and suggestions from the community and working together to develop an exemplary project in terms of sustainability.

Fortescue's project at the Pecém Green Hydrogen Hub will be implemented in two phases. The plant will have a final production capacity of 837 tonnes per day (tpd) of Green Hydrogen, based on consuming 2.1 GW of renewable electricity. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2027.