Brasil dispone actualmente de 386 MW generados por energía eólica, que aumentarán hasta 1.400 al final de 2010 con los proyectos ya aprobados.
El interés por ese sector hizo que el país convocara para noviembre una licitación solo para energía eólica. Sin embargo, el ministro ya adelantó que lo que salga de esa licitación estará muy por debajo de la oferta de 13.300 MW recibida.
Según el ministro, el precio del megavatio-hora en Brasil es de unos 100 reales (50 dólares) para la energía hidroeléctrica, mientras que la eólica cuesta 270 reales, equivalentes a unos 135 dólares (unos 100 euros), muy por encima de los 50 a 90 dólares que cuesta el MWh eólico en Estados Unidos, dijo el ministro.
Brasil vivió una grave crisis energética en 2001, que obligó al país a ampliar la generación. Actualmente más de 80% de los 105.000 megavatios de energía instalados en el país son de generación hídrica.
La perspectiva a corto plazo de Brasil es aumentar la capacidad de generación a 30.000 o 40.000 megavatios, pero el potencial es mucho mayor, de unos 140.000 megavatios, según el atlas eólico.
La Asociación Brasileña de la Industria Eólica estima en cambio esa capacidad en 300.000 megavatios lo que, según su presidente Lauro Fiuza, representa el triple de la capacidad de todas las fuentes energéticas de las que dispone hoy este país.
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Projetos para energia eólica já somam quase uma Itaipu
BRASÍLIA – O ministro de Minas e Energia, Edison Lobão, informou hoje que o leilão de energia eólica marcado para 25 de novembro tem 441 projetos habilitados. Distribuídos por 11 Estados, os empreendimentos somam uma potência de 13.341 megawatts (MW), praticamente a mesma capacidade de geração da Usina Hidrelétrica de Itaipu, que é de 14 mil MW.
Lobão fez a ressalva de que, no leilão, deverá ser contratada uma capacidade menor que os 13.341 MW, mas não disse quanto, até porque a demanda só será conhecida por ocasião do leilão. "É claro que haverá uma »peneira», mas esse número de empreendimentos (441) mostra a animação dos empresários em entrar nesse setor", observou o ministro.
A Região Nordeste, que dispõe de ventos mais fortes e constantes no País, principalmente no litoral, concentra a maior quantidade de projetos inscritos (322) e também de energia proposta (9.549 MW, ou 72% do total para esse leilão). A Região Sul aparece em segundo lugar, com 111 empreendimentos e 3.594 MW, ou 27%.
O ministro informou que o Brasil tem hoje instalados 386 MW de energia eólica. "Mas, até o fim deste ano, acrescentaremos 427 MW e, em 2010, outros 684 MW, elevando a potência total para mais de 1,4 mil MW", disse Lobão. Se a previsão se confirmar, ao fim do próximo ano, a energia eólica responderá por 1,4% da matriz elétrica brasileira, que hoje é de 100 mil MW.
Lobão informou que o preço máximo de venda da energia eólica no leilão será definido até o fim de agosto. A intenção do governo é a de baixar o preço da energia eólica, que hoje custa no Brasil cerca de R$ 270,00 o MW hora. Lobão previu que deverá haver uma flexibilização da exigência de conteúdo nacional nos aerogeradores (torres com os cataventos). Hoje, segundo o ministro, a exigência é de mais de 50%, mas ele não antecipou qual poderá ser o novo porcentual.
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Wind power in Brazil
The total electrical generation capacity in Brazil was 105.4 GW at the end of 2007, of which 73% came from renewable sources, including large and small hydro power, wind and biomass.
Historically, Brazil has relied heavily on its abundant hydro resources. However, there is growing acknowledgement today that these resources are stretched due to economic and population growth, demographic expansion into the interior of the country and climate change.
There is a growing interest in Brazil to develop new renewable energy sources, fueled by concerns over energy security and an unwillingness to rely on imported fossil fuels.
A tremendous wind resource
A wind atlas published by the Electric Power Research Centre – CEPEL/ELETROBRÁS in 2001 shows that the potential for onshore wind energy capacity is 143 GW in Brazil (at 50 meters high). New wind maps, which are being prepared by the government based on measurements at 80-100 meters, are expected to demonstrate a capacity which is considerably higher.
The best wind resources in terms of wind speed and capacity factor are in the Northeast, Southeast and Southern Regions.
In 2002, the Brazilian government passed the pioneering PROINFA program, designed to foster the uptake of renewable energy sources in the Brazilian electricity mix. Although the programme has not been as successful as originally planned, it continues to add new capacity to the grid.
In 2008, it was decided that new capacity added to the grid from all energy sources should be done by public auction, with contracts awarded to the lowest bidders. Last year there were two major auctions of thermal energy. More
recently, there was a formal announcement that auctions will be held by type of generating source, and wind power was chosen to be one of the next auctions.
In 2008, five new wind farms were added to the Brazilian system, taking the total installed capacity up to 341 MW. Most of these new wind farms were located in the State of Ceará, in the North East of the country.
Historically, only one manufacturer was present in Brazil. During 2008, however, several other companies entered the market and as a result, there are now four major wind turbine manufacturers:
* Wobben Enercon (the pioneer in this market, with two manufacturing plants in Brazil and more than 340 MW installed, including PROINFA wind farms);
* Suzlon (with more than 300 MW sold for PROINFA wind farms);
* Vestas (with close to 200 MW sold for PROINFA wind farms);
* IMPSA (with orders for 318 MW that will be installed in
PROINFA wind farms that belong to the IMPSA Group of Companies; IMPSA also now has one manufacturing plant in Brazil).
The number of qualified developers and operators in the wind energy market has also grown considerably during the last year. Companies that have wind parks under operation or in accelerated construction have established a stronger local presence, thereby increasing their capacity for developing new wind parks.
Organisations that have PROINFA wind parks in operation or at advanced stages of construction include: Iberdrola, Pacific Hydro, AES Tractebel, Servtec Group, IMPSA – Energimp, EDP – Enerbrasil, Siif Energies, Enerfin and Ventos do Sul.
There are also newcomers in the wind market, including Brazilian groups ERSA, Renova, and Brennand Energia. New international players from Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Norway, Germany and other European countries also have
interest in the Brazilian market.
Financing from Brazilian official sources can be obtained from the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) with nation-wide jurisdiction. For projects located in the Northeastern Region, financing can also be arranged by the Bank of Northeast of Brazil (BNB) and also by Development Agency of the Northeast (ADENE).
By mid-January 2009, the installed capacity in Brazil reached 360 MW, and it is expected to grow by several hundred MW during the course of the year. The PROINFA Wind Parks, which suffered a delay in the beginning of this program, had a completion deadline for the end of 2008. At the moment, contracts are under scrutiny between ELETROBRÁS and the project developers, analyzing the reasons for delay on a case by case basis.
A wind energy auction is expected to be held in late 2009, and is expected to call for up to 1,000 MW in generating capacity. More than 4,500 MW of projects are qualified for the auction.
Wind farms in Brazil
Wind farm-MW
Eólica Prainha-10 MW
Eólica de Taíba-5 MW
Eólica do Morro de Camelinho-1 MW
Eólio-Elétrica de Palmas-2.5 MW
Eólica de Fernando de Noronha-0.225 MW
Mucuripe-2.4 MW
RN 15 – Rio do Fogo-49.3 MW
Eólica de Bom Jardim-0.60 MW
Eólica de Olinda-0.225 MW
Parque Eólico do Horizonte-4.8 MW
Eólica Água Doce-9 MW
Parque Eólico Osório-50 MW
Parque Eólico Sangradouro-50 MW
Parque Eólico dos Índios-50 MW
Eólica Millennium-10.2 MW
Parque Eólico Beberibe-25.6 MW
Eólica Canoa Quebrada-10.5 MW
Eólica Paracuru-23.4 MW
Pedra do Sal-17.85 MW
Taíba Albatroz-16.5 MW
