A “high winds” season in the Brazilian Northeast has caused wind energy production to reach unprecedented production records in 2020. In the first week of August alone, the National Electric System Operator (ONS) recorded three records for average energy generation in the region from wind farms.
The most recent event occurred on August 6th, when wind power produced an average of 9,049 MW. This capacity would be enough to supply the equivalent of 94.4% of the electricity demand of the nine northeastern states, for example. Other exceptional performances were recorded on the 5th, with an average wind power generation of 8,854 MW, and on the 2nd, with an average of 8,780 MW. By reaching peak wind generation, the states in the region become less dependent on other energy sources, such as hydro and thermal, becoming self-sufficient.
A Neoenergia accounts for about 5% of the generation of wind energy in the Northeast with 44 parks, 17 of which are in operation in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia and Paraíba with an installed capacity of 516 MW (enough to supply more than 1.1 million homes) and another 27 under construction in Piauí, Paraíba and Bahia.
"By 2022, our installed generation capacity with the entry into operation of these new parks will be 1.5 GW, enough to meet the consumption of 10 million people – or the population of a country like Portugal, for example," explains Diogo Mariga, Superintendent of Renewables Operation and Maintenance at Neoenergia.
The investment in wind generation is aligned with the commitment of Iberdrola, the controlling shareholder of Neoenergia, to contribute to the fight against climate change. The renewable sources – hydroelectric power plant It is wind power – represent 86.8% of Neoenergia's energy generation. By 2022, this figure is expected to reach 90%, surpassing the Brazilian average. This aligns the company with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN).
"Wind is a clean, renewable energy source that doesn't emit pollutants during its operation. Therefore, high-wind seasons like the one we're experiencing in the Northeast in 2020 enhance the benefits of wind energy by further reducing greenhouse gas emissions," notes Mariga, adding: "At certain times of the year, wind generation exceeds demand, supply exceeds demand, and the region becomes self-sufficient, even exporting surplus energy to other locations."
TO KNOW MORE
Why is it so windy in the Northeast?
Solar radiation on Earth, the temperature difference between the equator and the tropics, the temperature of ocean waters, and the relief of the regions are among the factors that contribute to the increased intensity and quality of the winds that blow over the Northeast and that result in better use of wind generation.
Specifically in the Northeast, improved wind quality in terms of direction, speed, and density is also influenced by the climate phenomenon known as El Niño. This phenomenon is characterized by warmer temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which leads to improved wind generation, as during these periods, there is less precipitation in the region, favoring wind-generated energy.
