Ibama confirms 54 project proposals for the construction of offshore wind complexes for the production of energy on the high seas

The offshore energy branch in Brazil is the great bet of the energy sector in the future and a total of 54 proposals for projects of wind complexes on the high seas are already circulating in Ibama files, awaiting new origins from the agency.

The Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) has a total of 54 projects for the construction of wind complexes in the Brazilian sea, with a total capacity of 133,3 gigawatts (GW) of power. The sector of wind power offshore is the main focus of the national energy market and large companies in the segment are waiting for the necessary regulation to start their projects.

Companies already guarantee a total of 54 proposals for offshore wind complex projects in the national territory to Ibama and seek offshore wind energy in the country

By the end of April, the state body Ibama had already received a total of 54 proposals for the installation of wind farms on the high seas on the Brazilian coast, which are now circulating to the body for more details. In addition, the agency pointed out that the projects total 133,3 gigawatts (GW) of power, corresponding to almost 70% of the current generation capacity of the entire national electrical system, which is currently 200 GW. 

Renewable energy production in Brazil is already quite high and, according to Eduardo Raffaini, Deloitte's oil and gas, chemical and industrial leading partner, of the 200 GW of currently installed power, around 83% come from renewable projects .

Thus, the production of offshore wind energy with the projects in circulation at Ibama could expand these numbers even further, since offshore generation has the potential to reach 967 GW in places where the water depth is up to 50 meters, according to studies of the Energy Research Company (EPE).

And, among the proposals for offshore wind complex projects that are currently being analyzed by Ibama, the main ones are from the company Ocean Winds, a joint venture formed between Engie Brasil and EDP Renováveis.

The company has proposals to build a total of five offshore wind complexes that will have 15 GW of capacity in Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul, but they are still in the initial stages. Therefore, it is not possible to give more details about the investments or expected time for completion of the projects. 

Possibility of building offshore wind complexes for offshore energy production attracted companies in the oil and gas industry

Among the 54 projects circulating around Ibama currently, companies in the oil and gas sector are making their presence felt and have a strong relevance in the scenario, since they already have experience with offshore operations in the international market. One of the main highlights in the projects is the company Equinor, which has its headquarters in Norway and has operated locally for approximately 20 years.

The company intends to build wind complexes on the high seas that add up to 14,5 GW of installed capacity. In addition, projects are being planned in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo (4 GW), and Equinor is “evaluating another five projects in Ceará, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul, which would have an installed capacity of 10,5, XNUMX GW”, according to information about the company's future in the field of offshore wind energy in Brazil. 

Now, Ibama awaits the creation of a regulation on offshore wind projects in Brazil by the Federal Government, in order to be able to carry out the analyzes of the companies' proposals and continue to attract investments in the Brazilian sector.