Wind power generation exceeds 20 GW of installed capacity in Brazil

The National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) released 45.9 megawatts (MW) of wind turbines in wind farms for commercial operation – and, with this law, Brazil exceeds the 20 gigawatt (GW) mark of installed capacity in wind generation. This energy is enough to satisfy the demand of more than 20 million inhabitants. For comparison, the 20 GW of wind energy achieved is equivalent to all installed capacity in Portugal (from all sources). The publication will be published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Monday 22.

Wind energy is consolidated as the third source of electricity generation in Brazil. More than 750 wind farms are in operation in the Brazilian territory, with more than 10 thousand wind turbines. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), Brazil occupies the seventh position in the world ranking of wind generation.

The culminating point of wind generation for electricity production is the Northeast region, which alone represents around 90% of installed capacity. There are four wind farms that broke the 20 GW mark: Ventos de Arapuá 1, 2 and 3 (Paraíba), the Chafariz 4 wind farm (Paraíba), Filgueira II (Rio Grande do Norte) and Ventos de Santa Martina 11 (Rio Grande From North).

It should be noted that this growth was driven by the auctions promoted by ANEEL in the last 10 years. Until 2013, wind farms delivered less than 2 GW, which represents less than 10% of current capacity.

ANEEL has already granted more than 12 GW of new wind farms, distributed in 353 projects. Of these, 170 are already under construction. The expectation is that wind generation will reach the 25 GW mark in the next two years.