Brazil’s wind industry looks set to continue where it left off in 2011. The Latin American Wind Energy Association (LAWEA) reported recently that the Board of Directors of the Brazilian Development Bank has approved financing in four different projects for the construction of 26 wind farms, all in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, amounting to R$ 1.8 billion. The projects will have an installed capacity of 628.8 megawatts and will require total investments of R$ 2.6 billion.
With the new financing, the total funding approved in 2011 for wind farms amounts to R$ 3.3 billion, which is the highest value ever approved by the Bank and 275% higher than 2010's approvals of R$ 1.2 billion.
LAWEA said that the newly approved farms “will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions per MW/hour of energy generated in the interconnected system. The projects also have the potential to generate carbon credits”. It went on to say they will also “have a positive impact on the dynamics of the regions since they will increase tax revenue and diversify the economic activities in the areas, which have little economic and social development”.
114 MW awarded to Gestamp
ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) has awarded Gestamp Wind, wind power division of Gestamp Renewables (Corporacion Gestamp), five wind farm projects in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with a total capacity of 114 MW, achieving 9.4 % of the total awarded power (1,211 MW).
Gestamp Wind will have a power sales agreement for 20 years. Its deadline has been set for January 2016. With this awarding, Gestamp Wind increases its international presence and reassures its commitment to wind development in overseas markets.
IMPSA completes 222 MW commercial commissioning
Elsewhere in Brazil, the Amparo Wind Farm, located in the municipality of Água Doce (State of Santa Catarina), hs been approved bringing to a close the commercial commissioning by Energimp of the last of the 10 wind farms that make up the Santa Catarina wind project, which totals 222 MW of installed capacity.
The wind farms are equipped with IV 77 wind turbines of 1.5 MW, provided by Wind Power Energy, an IMPSA Group company. The entire project was financed by Caixa Econômica Federal, the bank managing the funds provided by the Brazilian Development Bank.
IMPSA Energy is the largest investor in wind power in Latin America, with 322 MW in projects already in commercial operation, 285 MW in projects under construction, and with purchase and sale contracts signed with different countries for a total of 535 MW.
Argentinean company growing in Brazil
Argentina-based IMPSA’s wind turbine manufacturer Wind Power Energy (WPE), is seeing its operations grow considerably in Brazil off the back of the industry’s recent buoyancy. It recently celebrated the assembly of its 200th wind turbine, which Frank Migiyama, Operations Director for WPE, said “represented a landmark in our productive evolution and the fulfilment of our goal to produce 6 wind turbines per week".
With newly expanded facilities in Suape, Migiyama pointed out WPA is "focused on meeting a higher demand than this year". By the end of 2012, the company expects to double productivity in Brazil. Only in 2011 the company invested about R$30 million in infrastructure, equipment and plant expansion. WPE's increase in operations also benefits its suppliers.
"With the increase in productivity we have set off a very positive chain reaction. Our suppliers to the engineering and logistics sectors must also develop, reduce their costs and improve quality and productivity. This will strengthen the Brazilian industry and provide more direct and indirect job opportunities," said Migiyama. At present, the plant is operating with twice as many employees as in the last year and that number is expected to increase by next year.
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