According to Ibama, there are already 66 projects aimed at developing offshore wind power generation in Brazil alone

Ibama has been updating its map on power plant projects wind offshore in licensing in Brazil and, according to the most recent data from August 2022, there are already 66 projects, spread across the states of Rio Grande do Sul (21 projects), Ceará (19), Rio de Janeiro (9) and Rio Grande do Norte (8).

All offshore wind energy projects being developed are at the licensing stage by Ibama and may start operating between four and six years after approval.

Production capacity of offshore wind energy projects

The Caucaia and Asa Branca projects, which are part of Ceará, have the oldest evaluation processes, respectively from the years 2016 and 2017. The largest undertaking in energy generation capacity, according to Ibama data, would be the project Ventos do Sul, from Ventos do Atlântico, with installation in Rio Grande do Sul, with 6.507 MW.

There would be 482 offshore generating units activated at a distance of 21 km from the coast. the second biggest project developed is Alpha, by Alpha Wind Morro Branco, in Ceará, with 6.000 MW.

And, the third largest project, should be installed in Santa Catarina and will have 5.700 MW of capacity, being owned by SPE Bravo Vento. There are several projects of 3000 MW each on the list of the largest: Jangada (Ceará), Maravilha (Rio de Janeiro) and Águas Claras (Rio Grande do Sul), all from Força Eólica do Brasil.

Start of power generation

According to information from Ibama, the projects with the highest unit capacity reach 15 MW of generation, whereas the average, however, shows equipment of 12 MW and 13,5 MW. The points outside the curve are the Nova Energia projects, by Sowitec, with only one 3,4 MW wind turbine 200 meters from the coast of Bahia, and Asa Branca, by Asa Branca, with a forecast of 50 wind turbines installed 3 km from the coast of Ceará.

Depending on the licensing, offshore generation could actually begin in 2027, according to the president of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica), Elbia Silva Gannoum. The prediction was made during an interview with the Canal Energia website in October 2020. According to her, Brazil has the availability to generate wind energy through offshore wind, but regulatory barriers need to be overcome.

Marcelo Storrer, president of the Brazilian Association of Maritime Wind Power (Abemar), declared in an interview with the epbr website that the new generation source wind it may enter the Brazilian headquarters in 2025, if there are incentives for that. According to him, the initiative to include the benefits of the Alternative Sources of Electricity Incentive Program (Proinfa) would be welcome.