Minas Gerais has vast natural resources, with the potential to generate renewable energy. River basins, high solar radiation, high winds and a wide area available for farming and animal farming places the state in a privileged position to generate electricity: hydroelectricity, photovoltaic energy, wind and biomass. Also, the Minas Gerais Renewable Energies Program provides tax incentives and a different tax scheme for the sector, covering the generation and sale of electricity, equipment, civil construction and much of the production chain.
The perfect combination of the highest levels of solar radiation in the world and moderate temperatures enable high levels of efficiency on photovoltaic boards to generate electricity. The north of Minas Gerais is receiving the largest solar energy plant in Latin America. Sunew, a high technology company of Minas Gerais, produces flexible and light organic photovoltaic modules, similar only to Germany, Japan and South Korea. In distributed generation, we have over 800 connections already.
Minas Gerais has a wind energy potential of approximately 40 GW, considering wind above 7.0m/s, with more favorable areas in Triângulo Mineiro, north and northeast, especially along the Serra do Espinhaço Mountain Range. It is important to note that the state has several companies in the production chain of the wind industry.
Calculated based on the model of the MesoMap mesoscale (TrueWind Solutions, LCC) at a resolution of 3.6×3.6 km and interpolated to a resolution 200×200 m by simulation of WindMap atmospheric limit layer, entirely using Cemig anemomeric measurements (1999-2008)
Minas Gerais is one of Brazil’s leaders in animal farming, cultivating several agricultural raw materials. This generates animal waste, which provides a greater potential to generate energy. There is a growing awareness for the correct disposal and use of domestic waste, as well as a government effort through incentives and investments, in order to drive more energy generation projects.
The natural features give Minas Gerais a privileged water resource, with 16 river basins with a large hydroelectric potential: São Francisco river, with 40% of the river system in the state; Paranaíba/Rio Grande System, as well as the Jequitinhonha, Doce and Araguari rivers. The potential estimated hydro is 24 GW, the third largest in Brazil. The state has an installed capacity of over 17 GW, distributed in approximately 260 plants (UHEs, PCHs e CGHs).
UFMG and UFJF (Juiz de Fora) have undergraduate, bachelor, masters and doctoral courses in Electrical Engineering, with a major in Energy, and an undergraduate course in Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources. UFJF also has a laboratory for photovoltaic electric energy generation. FIPMOP (Montes Claros) trains BScs in Renewable Energy Engineering and FUMEC has a Bioenergy Engineering course. PUC Minas has a reference laboratory in solar energy studies and research (GREEN) and an undergraduate course in Energy Engineering. Finally, UNIFEI (Itajubá) and UFSJ (São João Del Rey), together with CEFET-MG, have masters’ degrees in Energy Engineering.
The partnership between our company and the State Government negotiated and encouraged by INDI, created favorable conditions for our enterprise in the south of Minas. With a strategic view, INDI was a vector for the development of our project, favoring new investments in the state.
Marcelo Caetano Franco – Porto Energética Ltda. – CGH João Franco
Through measures and events carried out with ABSOLAR, INDI has recognized photovoltaic energy as a strategic opportunity for the growth and development of Minas Gerais and operated as a catalyst in new investments in the state. Therefore, ABSOLAR sees INDI as a strategic partner for businessmen interested in operating in the state of Minas Gerais.
Rodrigo Sauaia – Associação Brasileira de Energia Solar Fotovoltaica – ABSOLAR