Petrobras and Equinor have signed a letter of intent, expanding on the cooperation between the companies, so that they can assess the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of seven offshore wind power generation projects off the Brazilian coast.
These will have the potential to generate up to 14.5 GW. These studies are expected to be a significant boost to the country’s energy transition plans. “This agreement will pave the way for a new frontier of clean and renewable energy in Brazil. It makes the most of our country’s significant offshore wind potential and provides an impetus to our energy transition plans,” said Jean Paul Prates, the President of Petrobras.
The agreement is the result of a partnership signed by Petrobras and Equinor in 2018. It expands on the scope of two initially planned wind farms, Aracatu I and II (located on the coast between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo).
As well as these two projects, the new agreement includes a feasibility study of wind farms in Mangara (on the coast of Piauí); Ibitucatu (the coast of Ceará); Colibri (on the coast between Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará), as well as Atobá and Ibituassu (both on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul). In total there are seven projects, set to run until 2028.
“The plan is to combine our world-renowned technical offshore innovation abilities and our experience in generating electricity in Brazil, with Equinor’s expertise in offshore wind projects in various countries. It should be mentioned that these are feasibility studies and any further investment will depend on the in-depth analysis of their feasibility, as well as regulatory changes necessary to enable the government to authorize these activities,” added Prates.
Source: Ocean Energy Resources