Conception
The hydropower, from the exploration of available head on rivers, is currently the largest and the most important source of electricity in Brazil.
A hydroelectric power project is basically composed by a “generation circuit”, usually composed of a water intake, channel, tunnel, and/or penstock, and the powerhouse .The main equipment of a hydroelectric power plant is the turbine/generator set. The turbine transfers the potential energy transmitted by the water, into kinetic energy on its shaft, which is transformed into electrical energy by the generator.Hydroelectric power plants, in Brazil, are divided into:
° Hydroelectric Generation Plant – HGP (CGH in Portuguese): Installed capacity up to 3 MW;
° Small Hydroelectric Plant – SHP (PCH in Portuguese): Installed capacity ranging between 3 MW and 30 MW, and with some specific eligible technical features;
° Hydroelectric Power Plant – HPP (UHE in Portuguese): Installed capacity exceeding 30 MW and the non-eligible SHP technical features.
Advantages
Hydropower is a renewable energy from the potential energy on available head on rivers, is a direct function of the fall and flow rate available at a given stream. Specifically hydroelectric plants with capacity up to 30 MW, and with eligible technical specifications, called SHP and HGP, uses the river flow that comes only, without multiple months storage. That means, SHP and HGP does not store large volumes of water, generating energy with the flow rate passing at a given moment only (run-of-the-river hydro power plant). Among several advantages we highlight the following:
° Inexhaustible and free source of energy;
° Great capacity factor flexibility;
° Power production yield risk mitigated (MRE mechanism);
° Availability of 100% local content;
° Technology extremely consolidated.
Our engineering
On solutions in hydropower, ENERBRAND Energia works with the development of projects ranging between 0,5MW and 30MW on output power (HGP and SHP) and can deliver to customers all necessary engineering for its development, from technical-economic-financial feasibility, through the complete design and the plant’s permits, to the land and equipment acquisition, construction, institutional management, contract management, and commissioning (turn-key/EPC contract). In addition, we offer a complete asset management in post-construction hydroelectric power from the plant operation and maintenance, to the complete management of the owning company.
Financial structuring and bankability
Our extensive practical experience in the development of infrastructure projects for the electricity sector brings an inside view on economic-financial analysis and bankability of our projects.
The energy sale
Our in-depth know-how of the Brazilian electricity sector and market allows us to offer analysis to guide energy sales strategies, them being:
• Regulated Market: is the market where the local distribution companies buys their volumes of electricity, from auctions organized by the Government’s Ministry (called MME) and the Government’s Energy Research Company (called EPE). The electric power generators register themselves to compete for pre-established amounts of energy in these auctions, offering their physical guarantee of energy (in MWa) at the lowest price, agreeing Power Purchase Agreements in the Regulated Market (called CCEAR).
• Free Market: is the market where free consumers (companies consuming in high voltage with demand exceeding 500kW) acquire their energy amounts, agreed from bilateral contracts for electricity supply (Power Purchase Agreement – PPA) with prices and quantities freely negotiated, pursuant to specific trading rules and procedures.
• Spot Market or short-term market: is the market where surplus/deficit producers sells/buys energy at a specific price, called PLD (a weekly settlement price). The PLD is calculated weekly by the Electricity Trading Chamber (CCEE), for each submarket (S, SE/CO, NE, N Brazilian regions).
• Self-production: the self-producers are companies that own electricity generation and consuming plants, and may sell half the amount generated for the available markets.
• Net metering system (ANEEL’s Resolution nº482/2012): In April 2012 the National Electric Energy Agency – ANEEL approved a resolution laying down the conditions for the distributed generation of electricity in Brazil. Was defined the concept of microgeneration (units with an installed capacity up to 75kW) and minigeneration (units with installed capacity ranging from 75kW to 3.000kW). Since this resolution the self-production was possible for all people and companies, through accession to the net metering system.