New complex in Rio Grande do Norte announced amid slowdown in projects, oversupply caused by subsidies, and generation cuts

06/05/2024

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Adriana Waltrick — Foto: Ana Paula Paiva/Valor

Amidst a standstill in the Brazilian wind energy sector due to a crisis that hampers new projects from getting off the ground, SPIC Brasil, a subsidiary of China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), has taken the lead by announcing an investment of R$780 million for constructing a new complex with a total installed capacity of 105.4 megawatts in the Touros region of Rio Grande do Norte.

The project will feature 17 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 6.2 MW. SPIC Brasil’s CEO, Adriana Waltrick, told Valor that the project still requires environmental permits for the transmission line and resolution of land issues, as the network will cross 115 properties. However, the project will proceed under pressure from the Chinese government, the controlling shareholder, with construction beginning in the coming days to ensure the complex is operational by 2026. The public tender to select the equipment manufacturer is in its final phase.

Despite the sector’s challenging moment, Ms. Waltrick highlights that valuable energy assets and regulatory stability, combined with China’s financial and technological capacity, have created ideal conditions for SPIC in the power industry.

“Yes, the wind sector is experiencing a reduction in projects, there’s an energy oversupply in the market, and generation cuts for all players, but we are in Brazil with a long-term view. The initial hurdles do not discourage us regarding Brazil’s growth potential, and we will continue investing,” she said.

The financing for the project is still being negotiated, with the company planning to use 60% third-party capital and 40% internal funds. The energy will be sold through the company’s trading arm in the free market, where consumers can choose their supplier and set contracts by source, term, or price. Investors typically decide on new investments when they have long-term contracts to minimize risks.

SPIC is taking a different approach, aiming to secure buyers, known as offtakers, despite Brazil’s current energy oversupply. “It was a bold decision since the entire sector is retrenched. The Chinese investor pressed us about the contracts, but we will succeed,” Ms. Waltrick said. “SPIC grows by at least 20 GW annually. We aim to bring at least 10% of that to Brazil.”

The wind sector crisis has led to deindustrialization in the country. WEG and Siemens Gamesa have temporarily halted their wind turbine production lines, GE has exited Brazil, and Nordex has reduced production. Conversely, China’s Goldwind is setting up its production line in Camaçari, Bahia.

It’s too early to determine if the construction of a new complex signals a turning point. The sector has urged the government for an industrial policy to address the disruption in supply chains. A report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) concluded that without Western support for the renewables industry, China would dominate production.

Minas and Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira stated that he is closely monitoring the national wind industry and adopting concrete measures to maintain investments, such as transmission auctions and the provisional presidential decree sent in April to boost renewable energies.

Nivalde de Castro, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and coordinator of the Electric Sector Study Group (Gesel), attributes the situation to an economic phenomenon where unnecessary subsidies for the wind and solar sectors have created an imbalance between supply and demand.

“For the wind industry’s situation, the solution is to export. In the medium term, the hydrogen sector will generate demand, opening up new investment opportunities. Another route is to attract demand alternatives with major consumers, like big tech companies, which could come to Brazil because they are energy-intensive and the cheap, renewable energy is attractive to them,” Mr. Castro said.

Since entering Brazil in 2017, SPIC has grown nearly 60-fold, from 58 MW of installed capacity to 3.4 GW currently. The Chinese government-controlled company began with the purchase of Pacific Hydro; months later, it acquired the São Simão plant for R$7.18 billion; in 2020, it bought stakes in the GNA I and GNA II thermal power projects, as well as participation in the future GNA III and GNA IV expansion projects. In 2024, it completed a R$2 billion cycle with a solar complex totaling 738 MWp.

SPIC is also investing in hydrogen projects and offshore wind farms at the ports of Açu and Pecém, although the lack of regulation prevents a more decisive move.

*Por Robson Rodrigues — São Paulo

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com/