Assessment of Offshore Wind Power Potential along the Brazilian Coast

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.