China’s MingYang Smart Energy has signed an memorandum of understanding with Brazilian entity Complexo Industrial e Portuário do Pecém (PICC) to develop an offshore windfarm in waters off the state of Ceará
The state, on Brazil’s northeast coast, has long been acknowledged as having a significant offshore wind resource and is likely to be one of the first to be developed.
MingYang Smart Energy vice president Larry Wang said, “We believe that MingYang and Pecém will be great partners. The signing of this MoU marks an important step towards what could be the first offshore wind project in Brazil.
“In the next phase, we intend to develop a pilot offshore wind project and build experience in permitting, design, cost, construction and operation of large-scale offshore wind projects in country.
“MingYang is willing to share these experiences with the state of Ceará, CIPP and whole industry.”
Mr Yang said the pilot project could be “the first offshore wind project in Brazil or even in South America.” He said the company plans to start construction by early 2022.
CIPP president Danilo Serpa said, “We are starting prefeasibility studies for this pioneering offshore wind project, which is extremely important for the development and the maturation of the renewable energy sector in Brazil.”
As previously highlighted by OWJ, the steep fall in the levelised cost of energy from offshore wind could enable it to take part in an energy auctions in Brazil in as little as three years, according to the chief executive of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica).
Elbia Gannoum told OWJ she believes offshore wind could be ready to compete in an auction for energy as soon as 2023 and construction of the country’s first commercial-scale offshore windfarm could get underway as soon as 2027.
Ms Gannoum said several commercial-scale projects were awaiting decisions on environmental licences from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, IBAMA), the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment’s administrative arm.
Six projects were awaiting an environmental licence, one led by BIEnergia, which was said to be the most advanced in the process, three led by Neoenergia, and two others, Asa Branca and one in Ceará state.
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