Experts recommend a new energy matrix to the country
The new wind map of the country, under preparation, indicates a power generation capacity corresponding to 20 Itaipu plants
On Tuesday (13rd), at the Chamber, the seminar “The exploration of the Brazilian wind potential” , held by the Committee on Mines and Energy, the increase of the demand and the depletion of the hydroelectric potential of the country were pointed out as the main reasons for the deployment of a policy of diversification of energy sources, with investments mainly in the wind energy.
Francisco Romário Wojcicki, adjunct executive secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, stated that the hydroelectric potential of the country is 860 gigawatts and shall deplete between 2030 and 2045.
Márcio Antonio Guedes Drummond, Eletrobrás engineer, presented a study indicating that until 2017, the country will need to generate an average of 26,000 megawatts of energy. "This growth is impossible to be addressed with only one or two sources", he stated.
Complementarity
Lauro Fiúza, the president of the Brazilian Association of Wind Energy (Abeólica), who also attended the debate, stated that the new wind map of the country, which is under preparation, indicates a generation capacity greater than 300,000 megawatts. "This corresponds to 20 Itaipu power plants", he compared.
According to him, another Brazilian benefit is the possible complementarity among the hydraulic and wind sources. Fiúza explained that at the same time that rain is severe in the first semester and it is reduced on the second, the case of the wind is the opposite; it is mild in the first semester and severe in the second.
The engineer Marcos Antonio Drummond quotes studies that indicate that the replacement of thermal plants for wind plants in the Northeast allows the possible increase of the levels of the reservoirs in the dry climate, but also the reduction of the operational costs and improvement of the system interconnection.
Sustainable energy
The Chairman, Bernardo Ariston (PMDB-RJ), responsible for the request, reminded that currently 45% of the Brazilian energy matrix is sustainable; and in the world, this index does not reach 13%. Out of the total of consumed energy in the country, more than 80% is derived from hydroelectric plants, 5,3% is derived from the biomass and only 0,1% is derived from wind. The current production of wind energy in Brazil is 550 megawatts.
The first auction specific for the department of wind energy will be accomplished on November, 25th. With 441 bills registered for the auction, the interest of the private sector indicates the viability of wind generation in the country. In total, these interested parties presented proposals with a generation potential of more than 13.000 megawatts.
Costs
Regarding the wind energy, one of the obstacles indicated by experts during the seminar is the cost of production. In order to find a solution, they suggested a reduction of the tax burden and an increase of the generation. Since this source does not require fuel, the energy price depends only on the installation cost of the generation stations.
Luis Perscamona, president of Impsa Wind Power, states that 10% of the generation cost is derived from the transportation of parts for the installation of stations. "In order to reduce the costs, we must have dealers of parts located nearby the plants. With a large market, it is possible", states.
Lauro Fiúza, Abeólica, explains that the tax burden in the wind energy production ranges from 25.7% to 30.2% of the investments. "In the event of the removal of 30% [of taxes] from the energy price, it becomes competitive in relation to any other mean of generation, except with the hydroelectric plant ".
Reporting - Maria Neves
Edition - Paulo Cesar Santos/RX
Translation - Grupo Solucion-SP Language/Thiago Capatti