With the aim of tracking progress in renewable hydrogen technology, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published a report (updated January 23, 2024) indicating that there are 15 green hydrogen plants in operation in Latin America. Of these projects, 6 are located in Chile , 4 in Colombia , 2 in Brazil , and the remaining 3 are in Argentina, Peru, and Costa Rica, respectively. According to H2LAC , the collaborative platform for the development of green hydrogen and its derivatives in Latin America and the Caribbean , the largest, oldest, and most representative plant in South America is that of Industrias Cachimayo ( Enaex Group ) located in Peru. 
The Cachimayo plant has been operating since 1965 and is the only local plant producing ANFO grade ammonium nitrate, with a production capacity of 36 Mton/year.
Originally powered by hydroelectric energy, the plant more recently signed a renewable energy PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) for certified energy through the acquisition of REC certificates. The ammonia plant uses green hydrogen, consuming approximately 25 MW in electrolyzers. Next in size is EDP Complexo do Pecém in Brazil , with a 3 MW hydrogen production plant located in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Ceará. This is a research and development project by UTE Pecém that generates clean fuel with a guaranteed renewable origin.
It includes a 3 MW solar plant and a state-of-the-art electrolyzer module for the production of fuel with a guaranteed renewable origin , capable of producing 250 Nm3/h of gas. This generates the fuel from wind energy, green hydrogen, and recycled CO2, achieving emissions that are 90% lower than those of fossil fuels.
Enel Green Power, ENAP, Exxon Mobil, Gasco, and Siemens Energy are also participating in this project. Thirdly, there is Haru Oni Phase 1, a project of HIF Global -Chile located in Cabo Negro, north of Punta Arenas, in the Magallanes Region .
Capacity will be expanded in two stages, reaching approximately 55 million liters in 2024 and 550 million liters in 2026. In light of these figures, Edmundo Farge, an expert in the sector, highlighted on his social media: "While there is a lot of media coverage of green hydrogen with large-scale projects whose electrolyzer consumption is on the order of MW and GW worldwide, the projects operating in Latin America , whether using alkaline or PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) technology, are still smaller in scale. " He added: "The reality is that projects at the pre-feasibility and feasibility levels are still in the consolidation process; however, these three plants highlighted by the IEA are the most tangible in this part of the continent. Other projects highlighted by the IEA include Cerro Pabellón, a joint venture between Enel Green Power and ENAP, located in Magallanes , Chile ." This is the country's first geothermal plant, and green hydrogen has been produced there since 2017.
It is used to continuously and uninterruptedly power the water treatment plant and part of the consumption of the Cerro Pabellón base camp. Also noteworthy are Anglo American 's "Las Tórtolas" project in Colina , which produces green hydrogen for mining vehicles; the H2V Mobile Pilot located in Antofagasta , which can produce approximately 2.8 kg of the energy carrier per day; and the H2V plant that GasValpo has been operating in Coquimbo since December 2022. The latter features an electrolyzer that separates hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O) from water, a process made renewable through a photovoltaic system. The green hydrogen is stored on-site and then injected into the conurbation's natural gas networks at a rate of between 3 and 5 percent, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Another significant Chilean project is the ENGIE and Walmart initiative, which consists of an industrial-scale green hydrogen plant located at the Quilicura Distribution Center. This project involved an investment of approximately USD 15 million and will allow for the replacement of batteries in vehicles. The conversion of 200 lead-acid batteries from lead-acid batteries to hydrogen fuel cells has been completed, preventing the generation of 250 tons of toxic waste annually. Meanwhile, in Brazil , White Martins ' plant produces green hydrogen on an industrial scale with international certification. In Argentina , the Hychico Hydrogen Plant in Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut) is equipped with two electrolyzers with a total production capacity of 120 Nm3/h of hydrogen and 60 Nm3/h of oxygen. In Costa Rica, the Sustainable Transportation Ecosystem project, which has been operating since 2017, aims to electrify transportation using renewable hydrogen. Finally, Colombian projects include: the Ecopetrol Group 's green hydrogen production project, which began with a 50-kilowatt electrolyzer and 270 solar panels at the Cartagena refinery; and Promigas' exploratory pilot project for green hydrogen production and blending with natural gas in transportation and distribution networks. At the Heroica Station, in the Mamonal industrial zone (Cartagena) , and the Andes Station , hydrogen production consumes 4 kg H2/day. Also in Colombia, a new sustainable mobility pilot project was inaugurated, presenting the first bus powered by green hydrogen, which will operate in the city of Bogotá. This is a joint effort of Ecopetrol, the Fund for Non-Conventional Energies and Efficient Energy Management (FENOGE), Grupo Fanalca, Green Móvil, Transmilenio, and the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy. The prototype of the first bus to operate in the Transmilenio public transportation system will run experimentally on the Integrated Public Transportation System (SITP) route and has a capacity for 50 passengers.