Brazil offshore wind power generation expected to start within 10 years

Offshore wind power generation in Brazil could start in 8-10 years in a “very optimistic” scenario, Elbia Gannoum, executive president of sector association Abeeólica, said on Tuesday during the Energy Summit in Rio de Janeiro. 

She highlighted that the offshore wind regulation bill is second in line to be voted in the senate, after the hydrogen bill. If it is approved, it will go back to the lower house and become law. 

After that, a series of rules for offshore wind tenders will have to be defined. 

"The time is now. Brazil needs to decide whether to invest in offshore wind," said Gannoum. 

At the same panel, the vice president of EDF Renewables Brasil, Raíssa Lafranque, said that Brazil's experience with offshore oil and gas exploration and production, coupled with the country's neo-industrialization plan, which will demand more energy, favors wind generation off the coast. 

Lafranque also highlighted the opportunities that advances in offshore wind generation technologies provide for cost reductions.   

"We believe that offshore wind will be a very competitive source to help develop a new industry," said Lafranque.  

Also during the Energy Summit, Rio de Janeiro state announced an MOU with federal oil company Petrobras to study offshore wind generation, besides a bill establishing energy transition as a strategic guideline for the state. 

Environmental regulator Ibama is analyzing around 37GW of Petrobras offshore wind projects. 

According to Ibama, undertakings involving 234GW are under assessment. 

See the projects, in Portuguese, in the Documents box in the top-right corner.