EQS Global invests in the global market and in renewable energies, namely hydrogen. It presents expertise in the field of “Engineering and Technology, as solutions to support companies in the Management of their Assets and Operations”, as a result of 15 years of experience in the market. In an interview, Hugo Branquinho, VP Digital Solutions of the company, highlights the strategy to be developed in the area.

How does EQS Global present itself on the market?

EQS Global is an independent service provider for the most demanding industries, dedicated to Asset and Risk Management, supported by more than 15 years of experience, in-house developed digital tools, and a strong innovative component.
It offers highly competitive and specialized services in the area of Engineering and Technology, as solutions to support companies in managing their Assets and Operations, ensuring quality and compliance, improving reliability and performance, and preventing incidents from occurring, through a highly qualified technical team, using the most advanced technology.
The digitalization and innovation process in EQS Global takes place through the company’s internal DNA of doing more and better in the services it provides to its clients. This digitalization process is just the beginning of a process that is intended to be efficient and effective, being necessary to create dedicated tools that are currently missing in the market, as is the case of our risk and asset management platform, with the name iUNO and our corrosion monitoring sensor in pipes and other pressure equipment, which we call MOT.

Similar to digital tools, EQS Global is positioned as a partner to all companies that want to find the best solution regarding decarbonization, contributing to a more efficient, safe, and reliable energy transition.

Regarding the international expansion of the company, what has been the strategy?

EQS Global has a clear focus on the global market, being one of the players in the area of energies as a whole, and in renewable energies, in particular, providing integrated solutions for the various market players.

We have a presence throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, developing services, both in new constructions and in existing assets.

Concerning digitalization services, we don’t have the physical limits of the other services, as the studies and implementation are carried out through the internet. We are currently developing projects for clients in Germany and the United States.

Regarding projects with international notoriety, I share a project that is clearly differentiated in the world energy paradigm, the Windfloat project, the world’s first project in the area of wind floating, built on the Portuguese coast, which allows us to be prepared to participate in global projects that are being planned.

In this universe of decarbonization, which projects in the hydrogen and renewable energy sector does the company participate in, and in which areas?

EQS Global combines its operational expertise with digital tools, enabling a quick and cost-effective increase in customers’ digital maturity. One of the focuses of digitalization is the reduction of operational costs. The cost of energy is a relevant item, either in the acquisition of kwh equivalent or in the acquisition of carbon credits.

In our history, there are several energy transitions, some more or less successful and others more or less lasting. Hydrogen is one of the best energy carriers currently known, which is an excellent calling card for the energy transition theme, however, there are still several technological challenges to be overcome for its massified use. One of which is obtaining it efficiently, conditioning the use of current transport infrastructures and its consumption.

In my opinion, Hydrogen is a very interesting option, as long as there is a structured effort in the systematization of the production, transport, and consumption process.
In fact, one of the projects we have been following involves the storage of H2 in a liquid matrix, which in terms of the current paradigm in the supply of vehicles with liquid fuels with origin in petroleum would not change.

The Hydrogen paradigm makes sense if the raw materials are sustainable and not in competition with what is humanized, i.e., an efficient production process that competes with basic life factors.
The designation Green Hydrogen, in the broadest and most sustainable sense, will certainly contribute to decarbonization.

Everything suggests that EQS Global will be part of the Green Hydrogen project promoted within the Portuguese Government by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action for the decarbonization transformation.

EQS Global presented two proposals to IPSEI, framed in the industrial value chain around green hydrogen, and both obtained a favorable opinion, namely:

• Technical monitoring in the construction, operation, and reconversion of infrastructures for the production, transport, and supply of H2, using advanced inspection and monitoring techniques;
• Development of a digital platform for collecting real-time data on H2 production and consumption.

We are well aware that energy is a critical facilitator of prosperity and economic growth and that the stability of global energy markets is essential to sustain modern industry and society.
Green hydrogen is innovative because it is a combination of several renewable energies, that is, green hydrogen is produced with the help of wind and solar, an area of activity that EQS has been present since 2007.

EQS Global has made a growing commitment to renewable energies and, most particularly, to wind energy-oriented services, thus remaining at the vanguard of the energy transition and contributing to a more efficient, secure, and reliable transition.

What are the challenges that EQS Global faces as a member of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance?

EQS Global has joined the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance created by the European Commission. This alliance, created in the framework of accelerating the energy transition to hydrogen, will help companies and organizations to be more competitive and sustainable. Our knowledge can be shared with other members of this Alliance with the main objective of achieving a common good: the decarbonization of our planet.
In this case, EQS Global’s action – with a focus on industry and infrastructures – contributes to the improvement of energy efficiency and integration of renewable energies in organizations from an independent and third-party perspective.

EQS can participate in the entire project life cycle. Our technical services support, both with our traditional services and with advanced techniques and monitoring. This monitoring not only allows us to monitor these infrastructures but also to monitor transport and supply. In other words, it allows us to create ways to understand how much hydrogen will be supplied, for example, to each industry.

Associated with this process, we can develop a digital platform to collect real-time data on hydrogen production and consumption. Our current platform can already do some of this monitoring, however, EQS proposes to develop a platform with this specific objective.

What are EQS Global’s future projects?

EQS Global has received, from the National Innovation Agency (ANI), the recognition of its suitability for the practice of Research & Development activities, essential for the recovery of the economy.
This recognition is also extremely important for our clients, as they will be able to enjoy tax benefits under SIFIDE (Sistema de Incentivos Fiscais à I&D Empresarial).

The fields of Research & Development activities for which EQS Global is certified are Materials and Raw Materials, ICT and Production Technologies, and the Product Industry.