Brazilian Energy Minister Visits China to Strengthen Mining, Renewable Energy

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Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Brazil's Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira visited China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic minerals supply chains and energy transition technologies. The discussions focused on minerals such as lithium, rare earths, niobium and graphite, while talks on electric vehicles, hydrogen and other renewable technologies also took the stage.

China is Brazil's largest economic partner, and it has deep relations in areas such as energy and mining.

The trip took several days and included meetings between Brazilian and Chinese companies. Silveira was also preparing the ground for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's visit to the Asian giant, scheduled for next month.

"The cooperation between Brazil and China has proven to be strategic for the development of innovative solutions in the energy sector. We remain firm in our commitment to accelerate the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable matrix. President Lula's government will continue to support initiatives that contribute to a greener, safer and more competitive future for the country", stated the minister.

The visit included a meeting with Vale SA (NYSE:VALE) (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), the Brazilian mining company, and China's Baowu Steel Group Corporation (Shanghai, China), the largest steel mill in China and Vale's main client in the country. The meeting between the companies aimed to enhance their partnership, attract investments to Brazil, and expand cooperation in renewable energy technologies.

According to the energy ministry, in 2021 the companies signed a memorandum of understanding to develop solutions to reduce emissions across the steel production supply chain.

Silveira also went to BYD's corporate office in Shenzhen to discuss the expansion of electric vehicles in Brazil and the development of battery solutions to be incorporated into the national electric system.

BYD is the largest electric car seller in the South American country, with seven out of 10 electric cars coming from the Asian brand, while for hybrids, the number is one in four. Since 2014, BYD has established seven car factories in Brazil, and the company sold 76,000 in Brazil cars in 2024.

Envision Energy (Shanghai), a Chinese company leading in the development of green technologies, also met Silveira during his trip to discuss investment opportunities in both countries.

This is especially important for Brazil, as the nation's government has been working with Envision Energy to make investments in battery energy storage systems, green hydrogen and ammonia, and large wind turbines (with a capacity of more than 8 megawatts).

The Brazilian official took the opportunity during the trip to emphasize his country's investment opportunities as part of its plan to implement E30 by 2030, aimed to increase ethanol blending to 30% in fossil fuels. Additionally, Silveira highlighted the National Hydrogen Program (PNH2), which seeks to develop strategic hubs across the country to produce 300,000 tons of green hydrogen annually.

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