Engie focuses on solar and wind power, plus transmission auctions
On December 10, Engie Brasil Energia's new business director, Guilherme Ferrari, stated that the company remains inclined to expand its wind and solar energy matrix through capacity factor projects and satisfactory natural resources, with technologies leading the majority of Engie's new investments in generation.
“These sources remain more competitive in the current scenario of high prices and this is where we will continue to direct our investments, seeking new opportunities for M&A and greenfield projects”, added the executive.
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In addition, he commented that Engie will participate in auctions in projects located in regions where transmission infrastructure or generation assets already exist. The most important competency of the generator in the competitions, for him, is the reduction of Capex and the advance of commercial operations in the stage of execution of the projects.
According to the director, Engie's backlog of proposals reaches 2,2 GW, emphasizing the start of work on the Assu Solar project (750 MW) for 2022, in Rio Grande do Norte. The pipeline in progress until 2025 is 1 GW, using the subsidy in the wire tariff, in addition to targeting hybrid power plants, regularized by Aneel.
In the transmission sector, Guilherme assured Engie's interest in the dispute over Lot 1, linked to the Gralha Azul project, and Lot 4, located close to a generation unit.
Ferrari adds: “In the long term, there are 15 lots for auction next year and we are going to study them, in addition to a project for high voltage direct current systems (HDVC) for 2023 that we should also participate“.
As for opportunities for associations and purchases, the director made it clear that, as with the acquisition of the Novo Estado project, this type of procedure is increasingly complex, considering the issue of Aneel only approving the transfer of assets after the entry of commercial operation, in addition to the high competition in recent auctions, added to the instability of commodities and rising interest rates.
“If they come to market, it will be difficult for them to sell at competitive prices because the margin has been corrupted by these external factors”, he comments.
Transport of hydrogen gas in TAG pipelines
As for the future plans of the company's natural gas subsidiary to work with hydrogen transport, TAG's CEO, Gustavo Labanca, stated that the carrier is already analyzing the different percentage limits that the recent energy vector could be associated with within the pipelines of the gas network, called blend.
When stating that a large part of the expertise in this new market that will open up to Brazil in the future comes from the experiences of the European holding company, he highlights: “Up to 5% would not be a problem, 10% requires some additional investment and as this rate increases, the operational risk will increase. increasing".
Without indicating possible deadlines, the executive declared that Brazil has a generation of renewable energy, such as wind and solar, much greater than the demand and that this factor could accelerate the electrolysis of H2 and the projects that are starting to be carried out. “We are working and looking at this decarbonized future and to be more efficient in transporting this and other gases in the future, such as biomethane and biogas”, he concludes.
