Brazil Launches Expansion of Offshore Wind Energy
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - With its gigantic coastline, Brazil has huge potential for the expansion of offshore wind energy. However, offshore wind energy in the South American country is currently still in the initialization phase. This could change quickly in the near future with the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
Cooperation to develop the port of Açu into a strategic offshore base
Global offshore wind developer Corio Generation and Brazilian port developer Prumo have signed a MoU to explore the use of the Port of Açu, north of Rio de Janeiro, for Corio's future offshore wind projects.
The Port of Açu, the largest deepwater and private industrial port complex in Latin America, is expected to play a key role in supporting Brazil's offshore wind sector due to its location and proximity to the planned wind farm sites. Under the Memorandum of Understanding agreed between Corio and Prumo, the two companies will explore the use of the Port of Açu as a strategic base for Corio's offshore wind facilities, including the possible reservation of a dedicated area for the installation, operation and maintenance of future wind farms.
"To support the deployment of offshore wind farms in Brazil, it is critical that we have first-class port infrastructure for wind farm installation, operation and maintenance," said Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation, a portfolio company of Macquarie Asset Management, welcoming the agreement. Corio recognizes the importance of partnerships in the successful delivery of large-scale energy infrastructure. "This is why we’re delighted to work with regional leader Prumo to explore the future potential of the Port of Açu as a strategic base for a pioneering new industry that could bring enormous benefits to the people of Brazil," Cole continued.
"We're happy to celebrate this partnership with Corio, a renewables giant. We already have 33 GW of offshore wind projects off the coast of the Port of Açu under licence by Ibama (the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources). Around 35 percent of a wind project is logistical, so this makes the Port of Açu with its excellent infrastructure an unbeatable solution for the installation of these wind farms," adds Prumo CEO Rogério Zampronha.
The CEOs met in Rio de Janeiro at the Brazil Offshore Wind Summit, sponsored by Corio Generation and organized by the Brazilian Wind Industry Association ABEEólica and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
Corio plans offshore wind farms with a capacity of up to 6,000 MW in Brazil
Corio intends to develop five Brazilian offshore wind farms with a total capacity of up to 6,000 MW (6 GW) as part of its growing global portfolio of projects with a capacity of over 30,000 MW (30 GW) in North and South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. The sites for the planned offshore wind farms in Brazil, each with a capacity of around 1,200 MW (1.2 GW), are located in the northeast, southeast and south of Brazil.
Corio is developing its planned 6 GW portfolio of offshore wind projects in Brazil in partnership with Servtec, a leading power generation company that has played a key role in building Brazil's onshore wind industry.
Huge potential for the expansion of offshore wind energy in Brazil
Represented by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Brazil officially joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) in December 2023 as part of the COP 28 international climate conference in Dubai. The European Union, Panama and the US state of California also joined the alliance at the same time.
Representing the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the National Secretary for Energy Transition and Planning, Thiago Barral, emphasized during the event that Brazil recognizes the need to accelerate the transition to a cleaner energy mix. "Around 90 percent of our electricity is already supplied with clean and renewable sources. The numbers of the onshore wind industry in the country are impressive. Currently the country has more than 26 GW of installed capacity, distributed in more than 900 wind farms located in 12 Brazilian states. We want the Brazilian potential of over 700 GW of offshore wind to produce clean energy for the world," says Barral, referring to the expansion of offshore wind energy.
Source: IWR Online, 10 Apr 2024
