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The Challenge of Decarbonizing the Energy Matrix Is One of the Main Topics to Be Addressed During the Energy Transition.
Brazil already has a clean matrix, with 85% of its energy generation coming from renewable sources. The increase in the participation of clean non-hydraulic sources is expected to continue, considering that hydropower sources may be depleted in the near future. The National Electric System Operator (ONS) is analyzing new roles for thermoelectricity, which should remain as a complementary source.
Christiano Vieira da Silva, Operations Director of the ONS, participated in the second day of the Natural Gas Seminar, held in Rio de Janeiro, and stated that thermoelectricity could support peak demand in the near future.
Only with Thermoelectric Plants, Over 22,000 MW Were Generated, and These Plants Can Operate for 8 to 12 Hours, Supporting Other Energy Sources.
Natural gas has emerged as an important energy source for electricity generation through Thermal Power Plants (UTEs). During the water crisis in Brazil in 2021, thermal plants accounted for nearly 29% of the electricity generated that year.
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Petrobras buys 75% of Oranto and becomes the operator of block 3 in São Tomé and Príncipe, resuming its strategy in Africa to diversify its portfolio and replenish oil and gas reserves.
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China inaugurates a new era by signing a $5.1 billion project to expand one of the largest gas fields on the planet, adding 10 billion m³ per year and reinforcing an energy mechanism that already moves 30 billion m³ annually towards its market.
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With 5.6 trillion tons of natural hydrogen beneath the Earth, 26 times the known oil and more energy than all the natural gas in the world, the new gold rush is already mobilizing Bill Gates, Amazon, and Petrobras.
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U.S. researchers publish the first national map of natural hydrogen, placing 30 states on the radar and changing what was known about clean energy in the American underground.
However, the use of natural gas in electricity generation requires a discussion about market structure since, for the past 25 years, hydroelectric plants (UHEs) predominated, with a small contribution from thermoelectric plants. Today, in addition to hydroelectric plants, there are thermoelectric plants, wind farms, and solar plants, but the seasonality of these sources presents challenges that need to be balanced.
The ONS has been looking at the future role of thermal power plants, but they will continue to be complementary in Brazil. Moreover, the use of natural gas for electricity generation is crucial for the energy transition toward a low-carbon economy. Brazil had approximately 90% of its electricity supplied by renewable sources in 2022, but this does not mean that the country should not remain attentive to the integration conditions involving natural gas.
According to Alessandro Cantarino, Superintendent of the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL), the penetration of renewable sources has required new skills in the electric sector, with capacity and flexibility being the most important.
While capacity refers to the need to meet power demands, flexibility is the ability of production to follow the load, whether in large seasonal movements or daily variations.
For Tiago de Barros Correia, CEO of RegE Consultancy, the need for dispatching UTEs will still remain in the future, even though they are expected to be dispatched in shorter time frames and with greater flexibility to meet demand. He advocates for the adoption of creative solutions, emphasizing that decisions regarding the use of natural gas in UTEs in 10 years need to be made today.
The challenge of decarbonizing the energy matrix is a global issue, and the adoption of natural gas for electricity generation is an important alternative for the transition toward a low-carbon economy. However, it is essential to adopt creative and balanced solutions that allow for the distribution of energy in an efficient and sustainable manner.
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