22/02/2013
ABEEólica celebrates competitiveness of wind energy and provides four auctions for 2013 Autor: Petronotícias
Given the increasingly high price of fossil fuels worldwide and the strong dependence of the national hydroelectric reservoirs, the eyes are daily to other energy sources, especially renewable. The question is: how to make the country safer from the point of view of energy? In this context, according to the president of the Brazilian Association of Wind Energy, the force of the winds abundant Brazilians has risen as an energy source increasingly promising. According Elbia Melo, leading to ABEEólica for 1 year and a half and has been operating for 12 years in the industry, all the Brazilian wind energy potential is more than double the potential already installed in the country. Moreover, while the price of natural gas increases due to high operating costs, wind energy has become increasingly competitive since 2009, when they started the auctions of this source in Brazil. Yet even all this abundance study can not justify certain waste: Bahia, for example, fifteen months ago dozens of wind turbines only generate costs, pending completion of its transmission lines. Check out the following interview with Elbia Melo, president of ABEEólica.
What are your expectations as president of ABEEólica?
For the year 2013, the expectations are very good, because the last three years there have been significant results, especially for the auction since 2009. The wind power has proved competitive and there has been recognition by the government as the second most important source of the country. All this is the work of the association.
What is the focus of the work ABEEólica?
The ABEEólica exists since 2002 and aims to encourage investment in the productive chain, formed by equipment manufacturers, investors, electric companies, service providers (consulting and development), and peripheral equipment manufacturers. We count with 90 members.
Of those companies, how are Brazilian?
The concept of national company today is quite controversial. We consider companies that are primarily in Brazil and manufacture their products here. For example, manufacturers of the 11, nine are outside and two are Brazilian, and the case of Weg Tecsis.
What is the vocation of Brazil in relation to wind energy? This potential is fully exploited?
The vocation of Brazil for wind energy is very large. The potential wind power generation is 300 GW, so there is a promising future. Brazil has duly exploited this potential. In the past, power was still very expensive, but became competitive from 2009.
What is the potential of each generating unit?
The potential of units depends same for each machine. Insofar as technology advances, the potential generation of machines also increases. Today, the units have 2 MW of potential, but units are being developed capable of generating 6 MW in the future.
What is the planning of the Association for this year 2013? And for a decade?
We work in the wind sector in favor of development and we have some plans. The key is to participate in the auctions in 2013, which will be at least four. The dates have not yet been disclosed, but estimated to be two in the first half and two in the second. The industry aims to sell at least two gigawatts per year.
What are the states with the highest wind potential?
The greatest potential are distributed in the Northeast and South regions Of these, the main states are Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande do Sul But these are just the main ones, as there are a number of promising states.
There are several plants ready, but how to solve the problem of power transmission?
We are encountering difficulties in relation to developments of 2009. The lines were built late and aim to cater to 622 MW. The contract ensures that the owner of the plant, since the generating unit is ready, he will be paid. But beyond the generator, there is a transmitter, and the owner of the park has no responsibility for it.
What are the ways to expedite the construction of transmission lines? The power transmission companies are associates of ABEEólica?
Companies are responsible for transmitting the electricity sector, not all are associated. The payment of the generators does not come from the federal government, whose only role is to give the rules. From the auction is the responsibility of the companies involved. The distributors receive resources and consumer use to pay the owners of the wind farm. Who is paying for is the consumer and the distributor does not win or lose. This is also an attempt to streamline complicated because civil work has as speed. What remains is to wait. The delay is fifteen months. There are two parks in Rio Grande do Norte, with 324 MW, and a new development in Bahia, of 298 MW, which is the largest wind farm in Latin America.
There is possibility of generating units deploy offshore Brazil?
The offshore technology is being widely used in Europe, for a problem of shortage of land. So the technology already exists, but in Brazil its use is not thought to be due to the large territory and therefore the potential onshore very large. The offshore technology is very expensive. Maybe if they get cheaper, can be deployed even before exhausting the land.
What is the wind potential of Brazil?
Today, Brazil has an installed capacity of 120 GW in total. Just wind potential, there are about 300 GW. For 2020, the potential installed in Brazil will be 180 GW. Currently, real consumption in Brazil is 59 GW. Therefore, the need for Brazil is still well below the installed capacity.
What has been the willingness of investors about the wind? What are the biggest investors?
The wind industry is quite attractive and receiving many investments. We have two basic profiles of investments. There are companies exclusive new renewable energy, as is the case of Renova and BioEnergy, and there are large energy companies in general, as Eletrobrás Group.
What are the countries that use wind energy?
Firstly comes to China, second, India third, U.S., fourth, Germany. Brazil occupies the 16th place. At the end of this year will be the 10th placed. That's because the country began investing in 2009. Denmark and Germany are pioneers, there are more than 20 years of it.
In the context of poor performance of hydropower, dependent on rainfall, which is the advantage of wind power, which depends on the winds?
There is a basic principle that is: all clean, renewable energy, depends on the nature. So working with her in the middle. The solution before it is to have a matrix diversified energy, since energy are complementary. In the wind power, Brazil has the best winds.
As ABEEólica sustains itself financially to meet the progress of wind power in Brazil?
In reality, all associations born of a corporate effort. Thus was born the ABEEólica. Over time, the trend of the whole association is to professionalize. Before the ABEEólica was managed by entrepreneurs themselves, but today it is necessary to have a president dedicated to the association. I am president since Aug. 31, 2011. The ABEEólica is a private nonprofit, and as such, works with the associates' contribution. Participants pay tuition, proportional to the size of each company.
