Brazil to Maintain Renewable Energy
According to the president of the Brazilian Energy Research Company (EPE, in the Portuguese acronym), Maurcio Tolmasquim, the government intends to auction only renewable energies from 2014 to 2019, i.e., hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass-fuelled thermoelectric energy. "This is our goal. We believe that it is feasible without increasing the price of energy to the end consumer, because hydroelectric energy is selling for very attractive prices, and wind energy, which used to be very expensive, is now at a more competitive level," says Tolmasquim. However, according to him, if renewable energy projects are delayed due to lack of environmental licensing, it will be necessary to resort to thermal power stations so that there is no power shortage in the country. Tolmasquim claims that it is possible to guarantee the country's energy security using renewable sources only. "Our concern is with maintaining a high degree of renewability for our matrix, which is one of the world's most renewable." In Brazil, roughly 48% of the energy matrix is comprised of renewable sources, whereas the global average is lower than 13%, and the average for developed countries is below 7%, compares the chairman of the EPE. According to the Energy Expansion Plan, 951 billion Brazilian reals
(US$ 527 billion) will be invested in the country's energy industry up
until 2019, in electric power, petroleum, natural gas, and biofuels
projects. Next Thursday (20), the Brazilian minister of Mines and
Energy, Mircio Zimmermann, will introduce the Energy Expansion Plan to
industry players and social organizations. The plan is yet to undergo
public consultation, and is available at the ministry's website. |