Assessment of Offshore Wind Power Potential along the Brazilian Coast

Sylvester Stallone Pereira de Azevedo, Amaro Olimpio Pereira Junior, Neilton Fidelis da Silva, Renato Samuel Barbosa de Araújo and Antonio Aldísio Carlos Júnior
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Sylvester Stallone Pereira de Azevedo: Natal Central Campus, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), 1692, Tirol, Natal, RN 59015-300, Brazil
Amaro Olimpio Pereira Junior: Energy Planning Program, Graduate School of Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Technology Center, Block C, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-972, Brazil
Neilton Fidelis da Silva: Natal Central Campus, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), 1692, Tirol, Natal, RN 59015-300, Brazil
Renato Samuel Barbosa de Araújo: Natal Central Campus, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), 1692, Tirol, Natal, RN 59015-300, Brazil
Antonio Aldísio Carlos Júnior: Graduate Program in Soil and Water Handling, Semiarid Federal Rural University, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-24

Abstract: Brazilian offshore potential exploration is still in its early stages, with no single offshore park in operation or being implemented. Unlike the already identified onshore wind potential—with over 14 GW installed in the form of onshore wind turbines—offshore wind potential research is absent and restricted to limited areas. In this context, this study aims to identify offshore wind potential throughout the Brazilian coast for electricity generation. The research method took into account the average annual wind velocity records as 100 m/s, as well as bathymetry and the distance from the coast baseline, to classify areas displaying the greatest potential, applying an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to the geographic information system for the identification of potential offshore wind energy exploration sites. Environmental conservation units were considered exclusion areas. The installable capacity using aerogenerators was estimated at 3 TW, while an annual average power production of 14,800 TWh was calculated for the sum of the viable areas. These results demonstrate that the wind potential identified throughout the Brazilian coast provides the conditions for significant energy sector development. To this end, it is necessary to establish an ecological economic zoning of the areas displaying the greatest potential identified herein for the beginning of offshore exploration in Brazil.

Keywords: wind power potential offshore; Brazilian coast; multicriteria analysis; geographic information system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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