New Investments in Renewable Energy Expected in the City of Macaé, Aiming to Make Rio de Janeiro One of the Leading States in Offshore Wind Energy Generation

The City Of Macaé In Rio De Janeiro Seeks To Encourage The Wind Energy Sector In The State, Contributing To The Environment And Generating New Jobs In The Area

The municipality of Macaé in Rio de Janeiro is viewed as the Brazilian capital of energy and oil, precisely due to the city’s important participation in the clean renewable energy sector in Macaé’s energy generation. Thus, the expectation is that new investments can be made in the city with the aim of expanding the development of offshore wind energy in Rio de Janeiro and making the state one of the main global wind energy production hubs.

Rio De Janeiro Could Become One Of The Main Offshore Wind Energy Hubs In Brazil

The role of Macaé in the renewable energy sector occurs through the mediation of Thiago Rocha Gomes, the Deputy Secretary of Energy Policies, who attended the event presenting the Wind Energy and Hydrogen Maps of the State at the Palácio Guanabara last Friday, the 8th. The purpose of the Rio de Janeiro state government is to engage in discussions with municipal representatives and organizations to make Rio de Janeiro one of the main hubs for offshore wind energy generation in Brazil.

Currently, Rio de Janeiro has 9 projects that are in the approval phase by Ibama. The introduction of these projects could produce around 300 thousand job openings, both direct and indirect. It is expected that these projects have the potential to attract substantial investments, with the value of these investments possibly exceeding US$ 885 billion in the coming years.

The government of Macaé has a strong commitment to the renewable energy sector, as the city’s participation in this event indicates. Of the nine offshore wind energy projects mentioned, one with 2.8 GW is located off the coast of Macaé, making it the only city in Brazil with potential for offshore wind energy.

Current Scenario Of Offshore Wind Energy And Renewable Energy In Brazil

Thiago Rocha, the Deputy Secretary of Energy Policies mentioned earlier, adds that hydrogen production is strategic for the municipality of Macaé, as it finds itself in a privileged position for natural gas acquisition, alongside cooperation with renewable energy and offshore wind projects.

“We are in contact with companies, and there is already an Italian company interested in conducting offshore wind studies in Macaé, in addition to an energy efficiency project for the municipality currently being developed. The offshore wind bill is being voted on in the Senate, so we are also waiting for the finalization of this process to know what can be done,” Thiago commented.

Offshore Wind Energy Is On The Rise In Brazil

Offshore wind energy has a significant advantage over onshore technology, as the quality of the wind resource is the primary factor among both. Besides the strong winds offshore, the marine environment reduces turbulence and variability in wind speed at different heights, favoring more efficient projects and extending their lifespan.

The offshore wind energy sector in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, has been very active and well organized. According to studies by EPE conducted in 2020, the potential for offshore wind generation in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, is indicated to be approximately 697 GW in locations with depths of up to 50 m, while at a depth of 100 m, the generation potential could reach up to 1000 GW.