French energy group Engie (www.engie.com/fr) will set up a research centre in Brazil to act as its regional hub for innovations in wind, solar, biogas and hydrogen projects, as well as new technologies for Smart Cities.

The Brazilian subsidiary of Engie has already signed memorandums of understanding with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency and the Santa Catarina government.

Expected to be completed by the end of the year, Engie Lab Brasil will be the company’s second research centre in South America — the company opened one in Chile in 2014.

The centre will step up Engie’s investments in R&D and innovation in Brazil, which currently amount to about 3.5 million euros per year, the company said.

Engie Lab Brasil projects will be developed in partnership with research institutions, established companies and start-ups.

It will focus on schemes that produce new business for the group or improve the solutions that it already offers in Brazil and world-wide.