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 seen as the Brazilian capital of energy and oil, precisely because of the city's important participation in the area of clean renewable energy at the Macaé power plant. With this, the forecast is that new investments can be made in the city with the objective of expanding the development of wind power offshore in Rio de Janeiro and make the state one of the main wind energy producing poles in the world.
Rio de Janeiro could become one of the main offshore wind power hubs in Brazil
Macaé's part for the renewable energy sector happens through the mediation of Thiago Rocha Gomes, deputy secretary of energy policies, who attended the presentation event of Maps of Wind Energy and Hydrogen of the State, at the Guanabara Palace, last Friday, 8. The purpose of the government of the state of Rio de Janeiro is the debate with municipal representatives and entities, to make Rio de Janeiro one of the main poles of offshore wind energy generation in Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro currently has 9 projects that are being approved by Ibama. The introduction of the projects could produce around 300 jobs, both direct and indirect. It is assumed that the projects have the potential to attract huge investments, and in the following years the value of these investments could reach more than US$ 885 billion.
The government of Macaé has a huge commitment to the renewable energy sector, since the city's participation in this event signals a strong indication of this. Of the nine offshore wind energy projects already mentioned, one of these with 2,8 GW is located on the coast of Macaé, making it the only city in Brazil that accumulates potential for wind energy. offshore.
Current scenario of offshore wind energy and renewable energy in Brazil
Thiago Rocha, the Deputy Secretary for Energy Policies mentioned above, makes an addition regarding the production of hydrogen, since it is strategic for the municipality of Macaé, as it finds itself in a position of privilege in the acquisition of gas natural gas, in addition to cooperation with renewable energy projects and offshore wind energy.
“We are in the process of contacting companies, there is already an Italian company interested in carrying out offshore wind studies in Macaé, in addition to an energy efficiency project for the municipality under development. The offshore wind milestone is being voted on in the Senate, so we are also waiting for the finalization of this process to find out what can be done”, commented Thiago.
Offshore wind power is on the rise in Brazil
Offshore wind energy has a great advantage over onshore technology, since the quality of the wind resource is the main factor between both. In addition to strong winds on the high seas, the surface of the marine environment makes it proportional to the decrease in turbulence and also less variability in speed at different heights, favoring more efficient projects and bringing a longer service life.
The offshore wind energy sector in Brazil, in the Rio de Janeiro, has been in great movement and well organized. According to EPE studies, carried out in 2020, it is indicated that the potential for generation of offshore winds in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, would be approximately 697 GW in depths of up to 50 m, whereas if the depth is 100 m, the generation potential reaches up to 1000GW.
