Corio earmarks Rio port for 6GW Brazil offshore wind ambitions
South American nation is tipped as one of world's most promising new offshore wind markets
Offshore wind developer Corio Generation has signed a deal to explore using a port north of Rio de Janeiro to deploy what is expected to be among the first wave of offshore wind farms in the country.
Corio has signed a memorandum of understanding with port operator Prumo to explore using the sprawling Port of Acu industrial complex to launch its Brazilian offshore wind ambitions.
Corio, a UK-headquartered portfolio company of Macquarie Asset Management, is aiming to develop five Brazilian offshore wind farms with up to 6GW capacity as part of its more than 30GW global portfolio.
Sites for the proposed fixed-bottom wind farms in Brazil, each around 1.2 GW in size, have been registered in the country’s northeastern, southeastern and southern maritime areas, Corio announced today.
The international offshore wind sector is closely watching that legislation given the superb conditions for wind power found in several coastal regions
Acu is the largest deep water and private industrial port complex in Latin America and Corio said it is “expected to play a key role in supporting Brazil’s offshore wind sector due to its proximity to proposed wind farm sites.”
The port developer Prumo is a Brazilian joint venture between two of the world’s biggest investment funds, Washington DC-based private equity firm EIG (60%) and Abu Dhabi sovereign fund Mubadala Investment Co (40%).
The deal between Corio and Prumo envisages creating a dedicated area in Acu for future wind farm installation, operation and maintenance.
“To support the deployment of offshore wind farms in Brazil, it is critical that we have first-class port infrastructure for wind farm installation, operation and maintenance,” said Corio CEO Jonathan Cole.
“We’re delighted to work with regional leader Prumo to explore the future potential of the Port of Açu as a strategic base for a pioneering new industry that could bring enormous benefits to the people of Brazil.”
Prumo CEO Rogerio Zampronha, a former Latin America president of wind turbine giant Vestas, highlighted that there are already 33GW of offshore wind projects off the coast of the Acu under licence by Ibama, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources.
“Around 35% of a wind project is logistical,” he said, “so this makes the Port of Acu with its excellent infrastructure an unbeatable solution for the installation of these wind farms.”
The companies signed the MOU during the Brazil Offshore Wind Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Acu is based in Brazil's southeast, which accounts for more than half of the country’s gross domestic product. It is also close to one of Brazil’s three sweet spots for offshore wind.
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