Scale investments

Pioneer in the area, the Southern Region has an energy potential of 41.11 Twh per year and momentum to attract new projects

The Atlas do Potencial Eólico Brasileiro (Atlas of the Brazilian Wind Energy Potential), produced by the Centro de Pesquisas de Energia Elétrica (Power Research Center - Cepel), shows a gross potential of 143.5 GW, with emphasis on the seashore of Northeastern, Southern and Southeastern Regions. The potential of energy for the Northeastern Region is around 144.29 TWh per year, followed by the Southeastern Region, with 54.93 TWh per year and the Southern region, with 41.11 Twh per year.

The state of Rio Grande do Sul is already delivering 22 percent of the national production of wind energy staying only behind the State of Ceará, responsible by 38 percent. These states have 37.64 percent of the contracted works, corresponding to 19 wind parks and to 326.6 megawatts sold, the highest volume contracted in the auction.

Rio Grande do Sul has already 15 wind parks operating, with a total installed capacity of 460 megawatts.  Till 2017, the state will have 78 wind parks with an installed capacity of 1826.9 megawatts.  The wind park of Osorio, installed in the municipality of Osorio (RS) is the second largest generation center of wind energy in Brazil (in 2011), having an installed capacity of 150 megawatts.

The Wind Energy Project of Povo Novo, located at Rio Grande (RS), was developed and organized by the companies Epcor Energia and MML Energia. According to Nilo Quaresma Neto, executive director of Epcor, the studies of wind measurement started in 2009, taking advantage from the proximity of the coastline and of the wind potential of the region.  This area was selected due to its local features and to logistical aspects such as the proximity of paved roads. The investments reached R$ 280 million, including transmission lines and substations. The A-3 auction occurred in November, 2013—with a power sales value of R$ 125.90 per MWh—and the Project was bought in 2013 by the Group CEEE – Companhia Estadual de Energia Elétrica.

Currently, the project is being built, with the installation of 25 generators. The total power of the Wind Park will be of 52.5 MW, using generators model 2.1 MW of the manufacturer WEG, and concrete towers 120 m high. The Wind Park will be connected through a transmission line of 230 kV that starts from Povo Novo Substation. The complex is foreseen to start its commercial operation in the first half of 2016.

Still in Rio Grande, Epcor Energia was responsible by the development and construction of the Wind Complex of Senandes – phase I -  108 MW – Rio Grande/RS,  acquired by Odebrecht Energias Alternativas S.A, winner of the auction LER  2011.

The park is operating commercially with 40 generators model ECO-122  2.7 MW produced by Alstom in the first phase of the project. The wind park is connected to the Quinta Substation of CEEE-GT through a transmission line of 138 kV. More 72 MW will be added in the second phase of the project.

Epcor is also carrying out the Wind Complex of Dom Pedrito, in the municipality of the same name, whose project will be auctioned in 2016. Its first phase will have 108 MW and will be connected to the Substation Bagé 2 of CEEE – GT through a transmission line of 230 kV.

More 112 MW will be added in the second phase. This project is located near the village of São Sebastião, district Torquato Severo, which includes the municipalities of Dom Pedrito and Bagé and already has the LI – Licença de Instalação (Installation License). According to Nilo Quaresma, Epcor has a project portfolio of its own around 2GW, in several phases of development, spread by 15 areas of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.