Of all the countries, the developing nation of Brazil is proving itself to be the role model when it comes to renewable energies. Around 75% of the electricity requirement is covered by hydroelectric power there – and according to the energy research institute, Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, a further 34 hydroelectric power stations will be connected to the grid by 2021. Some of these plants are operated with know-how from Germany: Netzsch do Brasil, a company in the Netzsch Group, produces screw pumps for bearing lubrication and hydraulic units for the turbine blades of various plants that are already in existence or still being built. It is, above all, the hydraulic systems that are crucial in terms of the performance of the power stations, because they regulate the speed of the turbines.

May 29, 2020 - Renewables Now

Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) has approved the acquisition by EDF EN do Brasil Participacoes Ltda of the assets that constitute a 600-MW wind power complex in the state of Pernambuco. The unit of France's EDF SA is buying the wind portfolio from Brazilian renewable energy firm PEC Energia, a subsidiary of Grupo Engeform, for an undisclosed amount. The approval of the transaction was given without any restrictions, CADE said. The assets being acquired are located in the municipalities of Junco do Serido, Santa Luzia, Sao Mamede, Salgadinho and Assuncao. Their individual capacity was not disclosed.

May 29, 2020 - Kallanish Energy

Petrobras is offering third-party companies access to its natural gas processing capacity in Brazil, Kallanish Energy reports. The company started the process to gather interest in the industry from both producers and gas players, it said on Wednesday. The plan is to enable them to access over 90 million cubic meter per day (Mmcm/d) of Petrobras’ processing capacity under two stages. At first, Petrobras will allow gas producers to use its 10 facilities across eight states. At a second stage, other gas players will be able to book capacity, the firm said late on Wednesday. Currently, Petrobras processes natural gas it buys from other companies. The idea now is to enable competition in the market, as Brazil works to open its gas market.

May 29, 2020 - Reuters

The strong impact of the COVID pandemic on Brazilian power firms may lead to new mergers and acquisitions in the industry, according to the vice-president of China Three Gorges Corp. Brazilian unit, Evandro Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos said during a webcast on Thursday the Chinese power generation company is considering expanding investments in wind and solar energy, and that it is developing new wind farms in partnership with EDP.