As of February this year, Brazil has 890 wind farms installed across 12 states. These facilities represent 25.04 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity in commercial operation, benefiting 108.7 million people.
Of this total, 85% are located in the Northeast region. According to the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (Abeeólica), by 2028 Brazil will have 44.78 GW of installed capacity of this energy source, whose share in the national energy mix currently stands at 13.2%. Today, wind power already accounts for 20% of the energy generation needed by the country.
Last year, the sector broke a record with 4 GW installed, and for this year, Abeeólica's executive president, Elbia Gannoum, expects to set a new record, surpassing that figure. “By the end of 2023, we will reach 29 GW of installed capacity. This is our forecast in terms of power, representing an investment of over R$ 28 billion, given that each gigawatt of installed wind capacity costs around R$ 7 billion,” Gannoum told Agência Brasil.
Another survey conducted by the organization highlights the socio-economic development generated by wind energy. In the Northeast, for example, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of municipalities hosting wind farms grew by 21%, while the Human Development Index (HDI) also increased by 20% “due to the arrival of the wind farms.” Another significant data point shows that for every real invested in wind energy, R$ 2.9 is returned to the economy.
Ranking
Since 2021, Brazil has held sixth place in the global ranking of installed wind power capacity. According to Gannoum, it is now more challenging for the country to surpass this position and close the gap on the top two leaders, China and the United States. She notes that catching up with China is particularly difficult, as the country “grows by almost a Brazil's worth of energy investment each year.”
Between 2011 and 2020, investments in the wind sector totaled $35.8 billion. These resources injected R$ 321 billion into the Brazilian economy, of which R$ 110.5 billion were direct investments in the construction of wind farms. According to Abeeólica, 10.7 jobs are created for every megawatt installed. From 2011 to 2020, nearly 190,000 jobs were generated in the sector.
Of the 890 wind farms operating in the country, 130 projects have received financing from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) since 2005, totaling 18,654 MW. Financing granted by the bank reached R$ 52.17 billion, the institution reported, while companies invested R$ 94.4 billion during the same period.
Offshore Wind
The president of Abeeólica stated that, regarding the installation of offshore wind farms (at sea), a regulatory framework is being prepared in Brazil to allow for studies and projects to take place. “Once this regulatory framework is in place, we will have concession auctions, and after that, we will begin developing the projects. This year, we plan to have the entire regulation finalized to hold the first auctions for offshore concessions. It is similar to the oil sector, where areas are auctioned off,” she explained.
She explained that, unlike onshore wind farms, which rely on wind characteristics particularly prominent in the Northeast region, offshore winds are present along the entire Brazilian coast. The key factor is infrastructure, as offshore plants rely heavily on ports and industrial capacity. “These are larger ports that will accommodate the manufacturing of blades, towers, and wind nacelles.” Nacelles are the housings atop the towers that contain the generator's entire mechanism.
A study released in January by Abeeólica identified the Pecém Complex in Ceará, the Port of Açu in Rio de Janeiro state, and the Port of Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul as the country's primary hubs for offshore wind farm infrastructure.
Earlier this month, BNDES announced the approval of R$ 907 million in financing for Casa dos Ventos to implement four wind farms in Rio Grande do Norte (Ventos de Santa Luzia 11, 12, and 13, and Ventos de Santo Antônio 1). With a total installed capacity of 202.5 MW, these projects will form the Umari Wind Complex, located in the municipalities of Monte das Gameleiras, São José do Campestre, and Serra de São Bento. The BNDES loan covers 69% of the projected total investment of R$ 1.315 billion.
The energy generated by the project is expected to power around 500,000 homes while preventing the emission of 522,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO²) annually—equivalent to planting approximately 2.4 million trees. The complex is scheduled to enter full commercial operation in August 2024.
BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante highlighted that, given the current scenario of climate change and environmental crises, Brazil is well-positioned to lead the global transition toward a clean, renewable, and sustainable energy matrix, in which wind power plays a key role. “Supporting the wind and solar sectors helps expand our clean energy matrix, which currently stands at around 84% in Brazil. It also contributes to the development of a high-tech domestic industry and job creation. Clean energy is a priority for BNDES, a bank that aims to become increasingly green and inclusive,” he stated.
He noted that BNDES financing approvals for wind farms account for 75% of the country's installed wind capacity. For solar power, this figure stands at 38%.
Via CicloVivo
This article was written by CicloVivo. The translation is powered by AI.
