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Brazil diversifies clean power sources away from hydro: Maguire

Brazil's. electrical energy producers have actually reduced their dependence on the. nation's massive system of hydro dams by sharply increasing. output from solar and wind farms because 2018, information from energy. believe tank Cinder programs.

The share of electrical energy created by hydro sources has. dropped from 74% in 2018 to 67% in 2023, while solar and wind. sites have actually increased their combined share of Brazil's. electricity generation pie from 9% to 22% over the exact same duration.

Power companies have actually also greatly cut use of coal and natural. gas-fired power plants for electrical power given that 2018, driving the. share of nonrenewable fuel sources in Brazil's electricity generation mix to. a record low 7.6% in 2015.

As output from both hydro and renewables facilities hit brand-new. highs in 2023, Brazil's power manufacturers were likewise able to expand. overall clean electricity generation a record in 2015 -. sealing the nation's status as an international tidy power leader.

HYDRO FOUNDATION

In spite of the consistent decrease in overall power share, hydro. dams stay the pillar of Brazil's electricity system.

For the opening two months of 2024, hydro dams represented. approximately 71% of total electricity output.

That share is below 74% at the start of 2023, however hydro. is clearly the main engine of the nation's power sector.

However, power producers have aggressively broadened the. footprint of other clean generation sources, with combined. generation capacity from solar and wind farms expanding by 180%. from 2018 to 2022.

That renewables growth compared with 5.1% development in hydro. capacity over the exact same period, and revealed a clear push by. Brazilian power companies to diversify the nation's source of power. base.

Energies likewise expanded generation capability from coal and. gas plants from 2018 to 2022 (by 12.4% and 36.5%. respectively).

With total fossil fuel generation capacity under 15% of. the overall, it is clear that Brazilian power firms remain. overwhelmingly concentrated on using tidy sources of power to. supply the majority of the nation's electrical power.

GROWTH PATH

Brazilian utilities have plans for the additional expansion of. tidy generation sources, with 10.8 gigawatts (GW) of solar. capability, 4.9 GW of wind capability, 1.15 GW of biomass capability. and 1.5 GW of hydro capability slotted for addition in 2024,. according to Brazil's power regulator Aneel.

A few of those task plans have come across delays up until now. this year due to a mix of construction, legal and permitting. concerns, along with wrangling over power purchase arrangements,. Aneel has actually reported.

However offered the strong support by the main government for. further growths to tidy power, and the heavy financial investment from. public and private firms in accelerating the build out of. Brazil's power grids, it is most likely that overall growth in. Brazilian tidy power output will continue in 2024 and beyond.

And with sustainable capacity growth set to dramatically surpass. that of all other kinds of electrical power generation, the nation's. power system looks set to end up being both cleaner and more durable. as that capability comes online - ensuring Brazil will remain a. stand out tidy energy powerhouse.

<< The viewpoints expressed here are those of the author, a. writer .>

(source: Reuters)