see also: wind energy, Brazil, Clean-tech and environmentally conscious investing , energy industry , Environment issues , solar energy
The winds, with forgiveness of the pun, blowing in favour of Brazil when the subject is wind energy. A study prepared by a group of scientists at the request of the federal government, indicates that there is a potential for generation of 143.5 gigawatts (GW) with that input.
Amount equivalent to 11.3 plants from Itaipu, the largest hydroelectric the world. But if the prospects are so optimistic, why, then, the wind has never had highlighted the Brazilian energy matrix? The answer, in part, is due to the high cost, estimated at $ 223 per megawatt / hour (MW / h).
The apagão of 2001 and the difficulty of building new hydroelectric put the wind in the list of priorities. The Brazilian energy programme provides an investment of $ 11 billion in alternative sources. About 30% will be destined to wind energy. And it is an eye that bolada that Impsa City is building a new plant in aerogeradores (those huge cataventos) in Suape (PE). With a capacity to produce 200 pieces per year, the plant consume $ 143 million. "It will be the largest unit of the company in the world," says Luis Pescarmona, president of Impsa Wind Brazil. The other units are in Argentina and Malaysia, which are made of 50 to 70 pieces per year.
The disbursements of the corporation in Brazil does not end there. In addition to manufacturing components, the Impsa act, even as provider of energy. In total, she has obtained license for installation of 12 wind farms (two in Ceará and the remainder in Santa Catarina), which will require a total contribution of $ 600 million, which, added to $ 143 million invested in the factory, knocking on nearly $ 700 million. The first one starts operating in the Northeast in January next.
Because of this, the first fornada of aerogeradores the brand will be absorbed by the company itself. Suape was chosen the finger. The Northeast tends to be the largest consumer of the equipment, because it has abundant wind. Additionally, the city is close to major markets such as the Caribbean, Mexico and Africa regions for which Pescarmona intends to sell the surplus. (exports) "Brazil meets the conditions to become an exporter of such equipment," argues Regina Araujo, researcher of Coppe-UFRJ. According to her, wind power is competitive only if it is seen as a complementary input to the energy matrix. And in the Brazilian case, the expectation is that this modality respond by up to 15% of generation. Patamar similar to that of Denmark (12%) and Germany (16%). Seems unlikely, but it is not. Today the proportion in Brazil is only 0.0025%. (room for growth!)
When operating to full capacity, the subsidiary will add $ 350 million to revenue of $ 600 million from Impsa. Today, the division Wind collaborates with $ 150 million of billing. The largest portion comes from turbines and components for hydroelectric plants, as well as machines for port logistics (cranes, for example). For accounts of Pescarmona, this proportion should be reversed soon.
"The annual orders of manufacturers of equipment for wind energy are of the order of $ 25 billion, four times higher than the demand for turbines for hydroelectric power," justified.
Eolica: wind = 223 / mW hr
WINDS OF CHANGE
Grupo Iberdrola stirring energy sector
With project of $ 550 million in Bahia
The Enerbrasil, subsidiary of the Spanish group Iberdrola in the country, is bringing new ares for the domestic market to generate energy. In recent days, the company gave signs that the paper wants a project of wind energy budgeted at $ 550 million.
This is a new park with 130 generators installed in an area of 20 square kilometers in the municipality of Caetité, in the southwest of Bahia. This can ensure 200 megawatts of power - ten times more than currently generates around the country with the strength of the winds.
In all, the Enerbrasil already has permission to produce 2,245 megawatts this way, most of them in the Northeast - particularly in Rio Grande do Norte - where the company also is a partner in several companies, distribution of energy, such as Celpe and Coelba.
Much of the electric industry enthusiast national, Iberdrola forrou box of the Brazilian subsidiary with $ 1 billion in investments by 2006 on all fronts this market. But since April, it is more cautious about applying that amount. And not only is it. The Siif, which has capital of the French EDF, another company with large projects for renewable energy sources, also put the foot on the brake. They expect the regulation of the Incentive Program for Alternative Sources (Proinfa).
This program ensures that the federal government will subsidize part of megawatts generated by wind. The problem is that it is a small part, at most 1,100 megawatts, and 50% would directly to independent producers, who have no link with other companies generating, transmitting and distributing energy. The measure is intended to prevent the concentration of the industry, but also just by indignar the great entrepreneurs of the area. If the decision is confirmed with the regulations, will be a bath of cold water for Siif and Enerbrasil.
economics:
After all, each megawatt wind requires investments of up to $ 80 thousand in infrastructure. The cost of production is then an average of $ 60 to each of them, against $ 20 in the case of hydroelectric. Both expected some help to ensure the return on investment.
for development:
Now the waiting. While the law is not definitive, increases the anxiety of rulers of the areas selected for projects. "A wind farm in Caetité is vital for local development," says Armando Avena, superintendent of Strategic Planning of Bahia. "This area is at the point farthest attended by Chesf. So, it is subject to instabilities of the system. With the supply solved, it will be easier to attract investment. "Procurada by MONEY, Iberdrola did not want to comment on their plans.
The forecast of analysts in the industry that some projects may be suspended, generates various speculations. One probably will achieve: that we have agreements between the giants and independent producers to make more of the subsidy to the first. Thus, the animated remain independent. "We bet that the regulation will help the investment," says Andrew Leal, director of SeaWest, American company that has ambitious plans for wind farms in the country "We follow with the measurement of two fields and seek partners for the business."
The Rio Grande do Norte, destination of the majority of the projects, also looks forward to peace. "We can take first need reserves of natural gas, comes out cheaper than a wind farm," says Mario Rocha, director of Public Services Regulatory Agency of Rio Grande do Norte. "In addition, the schedules of several wind projects are being met." Distrust, however, hangs in the air, even on the most solid names, such as Iberdrola.
GOOD WINDS
2003
Projects of alternative energy start to leave the planning phase, and can generate business of up to $ 3 billion
The Spanish company "Gamesa"is only awaiting a green light from the government to invest $ 500 million in the construction of eight parks wind energy in a factory turbines and propellers in Brazil.
The scenario, which in a given time seemed collapse, it is now more feasible. To make the project of the drawer, the company needed to have two guarantees. The first and most complex has been resolved. After seven months of waiting, the government finally disclosed that should cost each megawatt (MW) generated from wind, biomass (combustion of organic products) and small hydroelectric central. The definition of those values was what was missing to make possible the second part of the problem: the regulation of Incentive Program for Alternative Sources of Energy, the Proinfa. This phase, according to experts, should occur in this second half. Nobody wants to lose the streetcar, as Eletrobrás alone will ensure the purchase of 3.3 thousand MW of renewable energy for 15 years. The expectation is that only the program tire of the role of government business in the order of $ 3 billion. Are investments in consulting, purchase of equipment and construction of power plants alternatives.
potential in Brazil
In the two years in which Gamesa was present in the country - measuring winds local and getting the environmental permits necessary for construction of wind power plants - they found that Brazil has one of the largest potential wind in the world. It is estimated that the winds Brazilians have power to generate up to 70 thousand MW, the equivalent to the total produced by hydroelectric nationals. The isolated country has experience in this area, but create numerous opportunities in Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro and the northeast coast. The multinational, which has activities in France, Italy, Greece and Portugal, in Brazil expects repeat what it did in the Spanish territory. "Six years ago there was almost no plant in Spain. Today the country has the second largest market in the world. We want to do the same here, "says Pedro Cavalcanti, president of Gamesa in Brazil. "We only depend of regulation, which should happen in the second half."
Another multinational that awaited the opening of this market is the Wobben, a company of German origin who six years ago decided in Sorocaba manufacture wind generators for a market virtually desert. They are not only the sole manufacturer of equipment for power plants of the type and owns five wind farms in the country. Their business is not generating power, but that was the only way he found to plant its flag in Brazilian territory. The company Wobben expects $ 60 million this year (90% will come from exports), but the forecast does not include the new contracts that it can close from now. "It is difficult to speculate, but we want to provide a good part of the companies that are entering this market," says Pedro Vial, president of the company. "The only difference is that our customers will buy into real and have local technical assistance."
The Proinfa will make the market for wind generation from scratch and accelerate all initiatives that exist today in central biomass and small hydroelectric power plants. This is a great opportunity for companies such as Pernambuco Koblitz, founded there 28 years to design and integrate renewable plants. "The market will double by 2004 and will grow along with it," says Luiz Otávio Koblitz, one of the owners of the company. In the past two years, she has already joined the 16 enterprises - a total investment of $ 300 million, of which it earned 20%. They are small central and hydroelectric power plants that generate energy from the burning of rice hulls. The plants of alcohol and sugar will be their most likely customers.
Sugar cane waste "bagasse", they have to spare. It is missing adapt the plant to make it generate energy, which the Koblitz know how well.
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