Wind Power Potential in Brazil
Everybody seems to talk about the oil reserves that’s available along the Brazilian coast. Many seems to overlook the great potential that renewable energy source that wind-energy represent in Brazil.
In October 2008 Wind Energy News published a news presenting a total potential of 143 Gigawatt wind-energy in Brazil. According to Wind Energy News will the Brazilian government hold a wind power action next year.
Brazil were given the World Wind Energy Award 2007 for the successful creation and implementation of the renewable energy incentive program PROINFA which boosted the development of wind energy utilization in Brazil.
According to the World Wind Energy Association, Brazil had a wind-power capacity of 237 Megawatt in 2007, of which 208 was added in 2006; agreements for 1 423 Megawatt are to be in operation by the end of 2008.
PROINFA is one of the most progressive incentive programs to promote renewable energy in the world, setting a target to add 3 300 Megawatt of wind, small hydro and biomass energy within 3 years - but there have been many problems with implementation since it was passed into law in 2002.
The Brazilian Wind Energy Center write on their webpage that the wind power generation costs in Brazil is already comparable to thermoelectric, nuclear and even new hydroelectric plants.