(Petrobras, 18.Jun.2024) — Petrobras, on 18 Jun. 2024, signed a Protocol of Intentions with the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro to carry out joint studies to feasibility of implementing an offshore wind energy pilot project.
The agreement provides for the establishment of cooperation mechanisms, with the alignment of the project with state programs and policies and the promotion of actions to improve the the region where the pilot will be implemented.
“Petrobras has a track record of using intense technology to enable large maritime projects, and the execution of pilot projects is one of the tools to acquire the necessary knowledge in conjunction with the initiative of the biggest offshore wind mapping campaign in Brazil,” said Petrobras’s Energy Transition Director, Maurício Tolmasquim.
The construction of a pilot wind generation project offshore Rio de Janeiro will make it possible to test and qualify new technologies. This will help to define elements for increasing competitiveness and the main challenges to be overcome for the development of future projects on a commercial scale. Various aspects of offshore wind generation will be assessed in order to identify its bottlenecks and technical challenges, taking into account the particularities of one of the regions in the country with the greatest potential for offshore generation, which also has the potential to be integrated with the decarbonization of Petrobras’ E&P activities. Since 2020, the company has already been carrying out a campaign to measure wind potential using Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) technology on the Autonomous Drilling Platform (PRA-1) in the Campos Basin.
“This partnership with Petrobras, recognized for innovating the use of new technologies and the considerable potential to generate offshore wind energy in Brazil, is an important effort for our process to establish Rio de Janeiro as a key player in the domestic energy transition and secure a sustainable future for the state, declared the governor Cláudio Castro.”
The cooperation with the state of Rio de Janeiro protocol of intent published on 3 Dec. 2023, for the joint evaluation of the pilot implementation of a CO2 capture and storage hub (CCUS) regarding the development of a project in the north of Rio de Janeiro with the capacity to store 100,000 tons of CO2 per year.
“These studies will enable Petrobras to analyze future offshore wind opportunities under analysis at the National Congress after the sector is regulated. Research and innovation are a part of our daily work, and we are applying the excellence of our Research Center so we can be, once more, pioneers in the use of new technologies in Brazil, stated the Engineering and Technology Director, Carlos Travassos.
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