Report shows Brazilian offshore wind potential

The World Bank Group has published the report “Scenarios for the Development of Offshore Wind Energy in Brazil”, prepared by DNV in cooperation with Vieira Rezende Advogados and Magalhães Reis Figueiró Advogados.

The data shows that Brazil’s offshore wind potential could exceed 1,200 GW, with 480 GW coming from fixed offshore wind projects and 748 GW from floating projects.

The report presents three different growth scenarios:

• Baseline scenario: 16 GW by 2050, or 3% of the country’s total generating capacity;
• Intermediate: 32 GW by 2050 (6% of total generating capacity);
• Ambitious: 96 GW by 2050, which will constitute almost 20% of the energy mix.

Offshore wind development in Brazil could complement hydroelectric power, reducing variability and providing a buffer during periods of drought. It would also support the government’s green hydrogen goals, potentially creating up to 516,000 full-time jobs and contributing $168 billion in gross domestic product under an ambitious scenario.

Furthermore, it could lead to more efficient local electricity generation by reducing transmission losses by aligning resources with demand centres such as large cities.

Challenges include initially high costs, which would require concession financing and strategic allocation of seabed rights.

Investments in transmission upgrades and grid flexibility would also be needed. Upgrading regional ports, logistics infrastructure and the offshore wind supply chain to support the production of larger turbines would also drive up costs.

But the report suggests that planning, collaboration and targeted investment can help overcome these obstacles.