In wind energy generation, Ceará stands out, with an installed capacity of 2,273 MW and 92 wind farms. Vestas manufactures wind turbines in Aquiraz and has created 400 different and 3,200 indirect jobs.
Wind energy is renewable, non-polluting, profitable and creates jobs.
Joaquim Rolim, coordinator of the Energy Core of the Federation of Industries of the State of Ceará (FIEC), and Jonathan Colombo, Manager of Institutional Relations, Marketing and Communication for Vestas Latin America, participate in the live “Wind Energy, installed capacity and growth potential for Ceará. “The mediation was carried out by Adailma Mendes.
According to Rolim, there is a growing global adherence to clean energy, mainly wind and solar. “Renewable energies are playing an increasingly relevant role, added to the fact that they are already the lowest-cost sources for power generation,” he points out.
The Energy coordinator cites data from the new Wind and Solar Atlas of Ceará, developed by Fiec, in collaboration with Adece and Sebrae: “The wind towers went from a height of 50 meters in 2000 to 150 meters today. There was also the possibility to generate wind energy at sea, and the new potentials identified are 94,300 MW for wind generation on land, 117,000 MW at sea and 643,000 MW for photovoltaic solar generation that Brazil consumes. ”Solar thermal energy also has great potential .
For now, wind energy is the second source of electricity generation in Brazil, behind hydroelectric energy. “In record days, it has already served up to 17% of the country’s consumption throughout the day. It is a virtuous path of sustainable growth in Brazil, compatible with the development of an industry that was created practically from scratch in the country ”, says the president of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica), Elbia Gannoum.
Employment and regional development
The jobs generated by wind energy range from the wind turbine factory to the most remote regions where the wind farms are located. “Wind energy allows the owners where the wind turbines are located to have other activities on the same land, and generates income through the payment of leases. And it is also an incentive for tourism by promoting regional development ”, adds Elbia Gannoum, president of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica).
Vestas, a Danish company that produces wind power turbines, has already contributed to the generation of 3,200 jobs in Ceará, according to Jonathan Colombo, manager of Institutional Relations for Latin America. Only for the production of hubs and nacelles of the V150-4.2 MW wind turbine at the Aquiraz plant, 200 direct contracts were made. And, during the pandemic, all employees were kept without the need to renegotiate contracts.
“We are also linked to three thousand indirect jobs, related to the production of components such as wind blades that are produced in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex. The creation of jobs is not limited to Ceará, since there is demand in the states where the wind farm is planned, and it should also be remembered that employment opportunities continue to exist throughout the life of the wind turbines, which exceed, on average, 20 years. In order for them to continue to function as expected, the performance of the O&M specialists is critical. Today, Vestas has more than 300 employees working exclusively in this area ”, completes Jonathan Colombo.
In Brazil, Ceará appeared in fourth place in the ranking of installed wind capacity by states, with 2,179.3 MW. It is behind Rio Grande do Norte (5,154.2 MW), Bahía (4,879.6 MW) and Piauí (2,275.9 MW), according to the ABEEólica survey published on February 11. The wind power is less than that described by Aneel, whose record is more up-to-date.
