Brazil stands at the seventh position in wind energy capacity with 22 Gigawatt as of 2022. Wind energy accounts for 12 per cent of electricity generated from 812 wind farms. This article will discuss wind energy in Brazil and investigate the ambitions, strategies, and challenges behind wind power. It will also shed light on the key players and the projects of interest. Wind energy will be crucial in Brazil’s quest to reach net zero by 2050.
Ambition:
The Brazilian government expects to install 195 Gigawatt of solar and wind power by 2050, generating 33 per cent of electricity from renewable energy sources. The government intends to build about 16 Gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2050.
Upcoming Onshore Wind Power Plants:
- Sento Se I & II Wind Farm located in Bahia. It is owned and developed by Casa dos Ventos Energias Renovaveis. The project is currently in the permitting phase and commence operation in 2024, boasting a capacity of 850 Megawatts.
- Serra do Tigre Wind Farm located in Bahia. It is owned and developed by Casa dos Ventos Energias Renovaveis. The project is presently in the permitting phase, with plans for commissioning in 2025, featuring a capacity of 756 Megawatts.
- Pernambuco Wind Farm located in Paraiba. It is owned and developed by PEC Energia. The project is currently in the permitting stage and is slated for commissioning in 2024, boasting a capacity of 600 Megawatts.
- Babilonia Centro Wind Farm located in Bahia. It is owned and developed by Casa dos Ventos Energias Renovaveis. The project is presently in the permitting phase and become operational in 2025, featuring a capacity of 554 Megawatts.
- Rio do Vento Expansion Wind Farm is in Rio Grande do Norte. It is owned and developed by Casa dos Ventos Energias Renovaveis. This project has progressed through several stages, and its commissioning was for September 2023.
Top Wind Energy Companies & Start-ups:
- Neonergia SA, a subsidiary of Iberdrola SA, is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and was established in 1997. It is an electric utility specialising in providing electricity transmission, distribution, commercialisation and trading services.
- Beck Engineering VAWT Company, founded in 2020, is located in Recife.
- It specialises in building vertical-axis wind turbines, thereby increasing the electricity generated from wind turbines.
- Delfos Energy, established in 2017, maintains its head office in Sao Paulo. It is a software platform helping companies to discover additional power generation opportunities for renewable energy sources.
- CPFL Energias Renováveis SA, founded in 1998, is headquartered in Sao Paulo. It is a renewable energy company which works with wind turbines, biomass, and hydropower plants.
- Eletrobras Furnas, established in 1957, is located in Rio de Janeiro. It is an electric utility providing electricity to 50 per cent of the households in Brazil.
Challenges:
- The first barrier is that it is challenging to connect wind farms with the national electric grid as wind farms tend to be located far away from where the electricity is needed the most.
- The second problem with deploying wind energy at scale is that obtaining permits for wind energy projects is cost-intensive and time-consuming.
- The third issue is the lack of skilled personnel, and proper training is required to ensure wind energy projects can be built and run.
Conclusion:
Brazil ranks seventh globally in wind energy capacity, boasting 22 Gigawatts powering 12 per cent of its electricity through 812 wind farms. Brazil’s ambitious goal is to produce 33 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, with a strong emphasis on wind power, targeting 195 Gigawatts by 2050. Notable projects, like the Sento Se and Serra do Tigre wind farms in Bahia, exemplify this commitment. Key players, such as Neonergia SA and CPFL Energias Renovaveis SA, drive progress in the industry. Challenges include grid integration, permitting complexities, and the need for skilled personnel, all critical to Brazil’s net-zero ambition.
End Notes
https://www.evwind.es/2023/01/14/countries-that-produce-the-most-wind-energy/89725
https://www.power-technology.com/marketdata/power-plant-profile-sento-se-i-ii-wind-farm-brazil/
https://www.power-technology.com/uncategorized/power-plant-profile-pernambuco-wind-farm-brazil/
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/brazil-wind-energy-market/companies
https://www.f6s.com/companies/wind-energy/brazil/co
https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/CPRE3:BZ#xj4y7vzkg
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/brazil-renewable-energy-market
https://www.evwind.es/2022/08/15/wind-energy-in-brazil-has-22-gw-and-9294-wind-turbines/87400
https://www.rees-journal.org/articles/rees/full_html/2022/01/rees210034/rees210034.html
https://academic.oup.com/ce/article/3/2/69/5368440?login=false
https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/brazil-energy-plan-sees-16gw-of-offshore-wind-by-2050/2-1-846140
https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/brazil/net-zero-targets/
