ANALYSIS OF THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR WIND POWER GENERATION IN BRAZIL = ANALISE DO MARCO REGULATORIO PARA A GERAÇÃO EOLICA NO BRASIL = ANALISIS DEL MARCO REGULATORIO PARA LA GENERACION EOLICA EN BRASIL

With its large unpopulated land areas, a coastline of 9,600 km and excellent wind resources, Brazil is in a prime position to become a true wind energy giant, and it is slowly emerging as a key market for the international wind power industry. While growth in 2010 was still small in absolute terms, it represented a 50% increase in terms of total installed capacity, and Brazil just recently reached the magic threshold of 1,000 MW of wind power operating across the country.

Two very different models have spurred growth in the Brazilian market: the PROINFA programme which was introduced in 2002, and the regulated auctions that have been taking place regularly since December 2009. As a result of both these efforts, it is expected that as much as 5,000 MW of wind power could be installed in Brazil by the end of 2013.

This study, which was undertaken in cooperation between the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) provides an in-depth analysis of the Brazilian wind energy market. It evaluates the effects of the regulatory approaches to date, analyses the market and the industry, pinpoints remaining obstacles and challenges, and provides recommendations for legislative improvements.

1. PROINFA 2. The wind power industry 3. The wind power market 4. Challenges facing the sector 5. The model for regulated procurement: a dynamic link in wind power investment 6. Characteristics of tenders for procurement of wind energy generation 7. Prices in regulated procurement 8. Returns for the consumer 9. Update on electricity planning 10. Recommendations for legislative improvements