Month: September 2024

By Celso Chagas and Esther Obriem

During his participation in South America Offshore Wind Conference, Guilherme Moreira Grossi, Business Development leader at Ocean Winds, analyzed the time needed to develop offshore wind projects after the approval of the legal framework for the sector, and the infrastructure that the projects may require. “Today we are talking about a regulatory framework for an area auction. And the feasibility studies will take four, five years to be developed, and this does not require such a heavy infrastructure”, he said in the panel. =Despite this, Grossi emphasizes, direct investments will be necessary for the studies to be carried out. Regarding the infrastructure needed for both the modernization of ports and for a new industrial park in the country, the executive believes that this is a topic to be evaluated after an exploration auction of the areas to be granted by the government. “The idea is that, initially, we will still rely on many imported components. But as the technology matures, we will be able to have an internal industrial park, which will also lead to a market route. This entire process that we are talking about today is gradual,” he said.

“If we only have a single project in place, this will not attract a new industry. We need to have a sequence of offshore wind projects so that the supply chain has the capacity to invest in installing a new industrial park,” he added.

Regarding the approval of the amendment to Bill 576/2021, Grossi believes that the current situation is favorable to the project. “We do not see anyone who is against the source and we dedicate all our efforts to discussing the ideas of offshore wind. If there are topics unrelated to the matter, each person defends and argues about what the considerations are regarding each of these topics. Regarding the articles on offshore wind, all points are mature and discussed, and are fully capable of being approved at this time,” he concluded.

Read original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/criacao-de-industria-eolica-offshore-no-brasil-vai-levar-tempo-e-deve-ser-gradual

By Celso Chagas

(BrasilEnergia) Interest in the development of the offshore wind sector in South America and all the topics related to this industry are two of the points that will be debated in Rio de Janeiro during South America Offshore Wind 2024. Launched in 2023 by Quest Offshore, the second edition of the event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel from September 17 to 19.

The conference will cover expert views on permit planning for projects and related topics, as well as have developers sharing views on their portfolios. The organizers’ goal is to bring together supply and demand and facilitate the commercialization of projects.

“South America Offshore Wind, in its 2nd edition, is consolidating itself as an event aimed at foreign investors in partnership with national ones, as it is held in English and focuses on attractive panels for international companies to understand the regulatory, environmental and financial status of the development of the wind industry in Brazil. Thus, expectations are high regarding networking and learning about new points of view on the subject”, says Juliana Melcop, from Veirano Advogados.

The lawyer, who will mediate one of the panels on the first day of the conference, highlights that the industry interested in the offshore wind segment in Brazil is eagerly awaiting the approval and sanction of the legal framework. “We are fighting for the government to not only provide the law, through the approval of PL 576/2021, but also to indicate a schedule of regulations and incentives for the installation of the industry in the country, with the possibility of creating a pipeline of projects by companies. Thus, the event will echo the demands of companies and help boost their claims,” she argues.

Investor interest and government action

 Juliana highlighted to Brasil Energia that the lack of forecasts for the installation of this market in the country is due to the lack of predictability of government action in the sector. According to the lawyer, one of the points of attention for companies interested in investing in the offshore wind segment in Brazil is the lack of criteria for the auction for the exploration of areas to be granted by the government. She points out that projects may become unfeasible if agents have to finance a very high amount to explore the seabed.

“In addition to the auction bid, companies also have to bear the cost of leasing the area and participating in energy production, which has the potential to become very expensive. At a stage where we are still developing technology, if the government sets prices too high, companies will not want to invest and will disengage,” she said.

Read original article:  https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/desenvolvimento-do-setor-eolico-offshore-e-tema-de-evento-no-rio-de-janeiro

By Celso Chagas and Esther Obriem

(BrasilEnergia) For Equinor, the government’s ability to map the offshore wind sector and drive its implementation is the first pillar for the development of this market in Brazil. “We don’t usually have this. We don’t usually have defined targets for the source, but we understand that this is very important to give developers the size of the market,” said the company’s technical leader in offshore wind energy in the country, Gabriel Góes Monteiro, on the first day of South America Offshore Wind 2024.

The executive pointed out other pillars that the Norwegian company, present in more than 30 countries around the world, understands to be important for the success of the offshore wind industry.

“Over the past two years, when drafting projects or discussing with governments and industries, we have shared all our experience from our domestic headquarters and what is necessary in a preliminary phase for a country to be successful,” he pointed out.

The second point is predictability. “In other words, when and where an auction or project can be developed. Predictability is important for both the government and the industry,” he pointed out.

 Regulatory flexibility was the third point cited by Monteiro. “Many times, projects have to be delivered all at once, but we see in projects from other parts of the world that, for offshore wind power, the initial phase, with preliminary studies, is already important. We don’t have a goal, we don’t have predictability, and this still needs to be built,” he pointed out.

The construction of an efficient network was the last aspect addressed by the executive, to transport the energy generated at sea.

He also believes that it is essential to know when and where an auction will be held, how large the project will be, in addition to the main areas of the country where the project will be developed.

Finally, the executive highlighted that having knowledge about the environmental campaigns to be implemented for the development of the projects should be on the radar of companies.

Read original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/flexibilidade-regulatoria-e-essencial-para-investimentos-projetos-offshore

By Celso Chagas and Esther Obriem

The long-awaited regulation for offshore wind power – and its developments – were points that Marcelo Lopes, director of Hydraulics and Offshore Renewables at Neoenergia, emphasized during his participation in the first day of South America Offshore Wind, held by Quest Offshore at the Sheraton Hotel from September 17 to 19.

“Today we are still approving the offshore wind power law, but later we need to develop more legislation, for auctions, for example, in addition to financial and non-financial criteria for offshore wind. We want to attract the entire supply chain necessary for the segment to become a reality,” he stated.

But what will be the targets or objectives when we obtain the seabeds to continue, the criteria for defining the correct sizes of these areas?” he asked. Lopes emphasized that he is not talking about a market route, reserve energy or PPAs, as this is still a very early stage. “This is related to planning. We have to plan offshore wind in Brazil, have a clear vision, how to structure the planning based on the government and expectations,” he continued.

According to the executive, it is necessary to know which regions of Brazil will be developed to receive the new energy source. “Let’s forget for a second about what we need to sell and think about incentives and how the project can be competitive. When we define a region, we need to look at the business plan. What we don’t know is the price of energy, so we don’t know if we will have excessive costs now. This is the moment when we will try to make the right decisions to sell energy correctly,” he pointed out.

For Lopes, in Brazil, it is necessary to focus on building a framework that will enable auctions to be held in a way that makes the events attractive to interested parties. “We will not overload prices. We will learn, attract industry and suppliers. With the first projects being studied, we will have good signs, feedback for the government to plan transmission lines. Then, we will see which contract model will be competitive in the long term. What we need to do is have a price criterion and be competitive,” he said.

Finally, the director of Neoenergia also said he is aware that Ibama, for example, is investing in the knowledge of its employees for the offshore wind segment. “What we have to do with other government agencies is to try to be more objective in relation to the criteria so that they feel more comfortable in making licensing decisions,” he concluded.

Read original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/eolicas-offshore-investidores-so-podem-avaliar-riscos-com-a-devida-regulamentacao

By Celso Chagas and Esther Obriem

(BrasilEnergia) The second edition of South America Offshore Wind 2024 began on Tuesday afternoon, September 17, in Rio de Janeiro, and will run until September 19, to discuss the development of the offshore wind sector in South America.

Opening the first panel of the conference, Alex Gasparetto, Petrobras’ Offshore Wind Business Development Manager, highlighted that knowledge of the Brazilian coast is a competitive advantage for the company, in a segment that awaits government regulation. According to him, one of the ideas is to use demand itself to advance projects and use the synergy of the company’s operations to reduce production costs in offshore wind. “We have an integrated view of our assets and we believe that this will help maximize the value of the country’s natural resources,” he added.

The executive stated that Petrobras has 12 wind measurement sites and is starting a 3-year measurement campaign, evaluating new points along the entire Brazilian coast. “Offshore wind power will only become a reality with the cooperation of the agents involved and with regulatory approval,” he highlighted. “Right now, we are studying areas and we see that the first project will be operational, perhaps in 2035, but this will depend on demand, of course. If it doesn’t exist, we won’t have a project. Entering the market is the big challenge here,” he said.

Gasparetto noted that the forecast depends on the approval of the regulatory framework. “It’s a date that’s on our minds, but there are a number of issues that need to be addressed, and the issue of the route to market is important and needs to be clear. It’s a premise that’s on people’s minds, if the bill is approved and has work and incentives from Ibama,” he added to Brasil Energia.

Finally, the executive emphasized that it’s necessary to explore Brazil’s potential in offshore wind generation, but not only that. “We also have to think about how we can improve this infrastructure, we have to consider that our economy has to grow, and use the competitive advantage of renewables to attract new industries.”

Read original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/petrobras-pode-ter-primeiro-projeto-eolico-offshore-em-2035

By Celso Chagas

(BrasilEnergia) Brazil already has three ports – Açu (RJ), Pecém (CE) and Rio Grande (RS) – in the process of adapting to receive vessels transporting equipment and providing support for offshore wind projects on its coast. This information was provided by Admiral Wilson Pereira de Lima Filho, director of the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq).

“As for the other ports in the country, as new demands are identified, they will certainly adapt, and this adaptation is not difficult; it requires space and some authorizations from the agency. And I do not believe that, at first, there will be a need for government subsidies for this. The ports themselves, with their resources, can do this,” he told Brasil Energia.

Admiral Lima Filho participated in the second day of South America Offshore Wind Conference 2024, which is taking place in Rio de Janeiro. According to him, it is necessary to establish an integrated work of the agents involved, such as ministries, Ibama, regulatory agencies, when it comes to the environmental issue of the projects. “This is a problem in Brazil, we suffer from it and waste a lot of time. With all the authorizations and licenses, some processes can take up to 3 years, and this also happens when we talk about offshore wind power,” he stated.

According to the Antaq Director, the agency has already begun to look into the matter. “We have started to study the facilities, stations, difficulties and challenges. We want to learn and understand what the problems are, because we want to be part of the solution,” Lima Filho pointed out.

The director emphasized that the agency is prepared to regulate the activities of vessels involved in the generation of wind energy at sea, he cited the agency’s decision of August 31 of this year, according to which the rules in the port and navigation sectors for offshore wind power will follow the same ones used for oil and gas exploration. “In a preliminary analysis, and in the absence of any other legal decision to the contrary, the agency’s position is that vessels that will operate in support of the activity will be classified as maritime support vessels,” he explained. The measure does not include engineering and dredging vessels used in the implementation stage of the projects.

Read Original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/portos-brasileiros-estao-se-adaptando-para-a-industria-eolica-offshore

By Celso Chagas

(BrasilEnergia) The intentions of the Rio de Janeiro government to stimulate the development of the offshore wind sector in the state guided the participation of Sérgio Coelho, Deputy Undersecretary of Energy, at South America Offshore Wind 2024.

According to him, the biggest problem for unlocking the offshore wind sector is not only the regulation of the sector, but also the implementation of policies to allow correct signaling to investors. “The state can do this by creating incentives, and I am not talking about subsidies. Our role is to create public policy to encourage investment,” he pointed out.

Coelho mentioned the Protocol of Intentions signed with Petrobras as one of the initiatives that will help establish a local offshore industry. The cooperation agreement, signed in June of this year by the State Secretariat for Energy and the Economy of the Sea (Seenemar) with the company, aims to conduct studies on the feasibility of implementing a pilot offshore wind energy project in the state, aligning the project with state programs and policies and promoting actions to improve the region where it will be implemented. Sérgio highlighted that, shortly after the partnership was formalized, a working group was created, with the participation of more than 70 companies, in addition to agencies and other interested bodies.

“We need to be challenged to understand the problems,” he said, citing the ability to address the demands of businesspeople to create a supply chain. “In the municipality of Macaé alone, there are 4,500 companies that serve the oil chain and have full capacity to serve this new market,” he explained.

The agreement will also assess aspects of offshore wind generation, in order to identify its bottlenecks and technical challenges, considering the particularities of one of the regions of the country with the greatest potential for offshore generation, which also has the potential for integration with the decarbonization of Petrobras’ E&P activities.

Finally, according to the undersecretary, the project will also serve to mitigate risks for the installation of a new industry in Rio de Janeiro, which has potential to be explored. “We already have the competitive factors. The state has demand routes, excellent wind resources, is the second largest energy load center in Brazil, a very large port infrastructure, with emphasis on the Port of Açu, universities, research centers and 50 years of experience in offshore oil”, he listed.

See original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/seenemar-governo-do-rj-quer-desenvolver-politicas-para-encorajar-investimentos

By Esther Obriem

(BrasilEnergia) Companies interested in participating in Colombia’s offshore wind energy auction will be able to send documents for the pre-qualification phase in October of this year. The result of the auction is expected to be announced in August 2025.

The head of regulatory and business affairs at Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, Juan Carlos Bedoya, explained to BrasilEnergia that studies of the auctioned areas will begin in December of next year. This morning (18), he participated in the second day of South America Offshore Wind, held in Rio de Janeiro. Companies have about eight years to study the areas and decide whether or not they are interested in developing the projects. After the analysis phase, they will have a 30-year maritime concession, which can be renewed for another 15 years. It is worth remembering that the auction was announced last year and the deadlines for the process were extended to keep up with changes in the industrial sector. The country has the potential to reach 3 GW by 2040 and 9 GW by 2050.

A World Bank calculation shows that Colombia could reach 50 GW in offshore wind projects, with the expectation of attracting investments of approximately US$27 billion. Bedoya highlighted that one of the challenges faced by the country is the integration of offshore wind projects with the transmission system. According to him, the country does not have a “robust” substation on the coast to serve the system.

See original article: https://brasilenergia.com.br/energia/eolica/colombia-espera-anunciar-vencedores-do-leilao-de-eolica-offshore-em-2025