Brazilian University and Ocean Winds Team Up for Offshore Wind

October 28, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Ocean Winds has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazil’s Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) to promote the exchange of knowledge related to offshore wind energy.

According to Ocean Winds, the agreement seeks to align essential elements for the growth of the offshore wind energy industry in Brazil, including sustainable regulatory frameworks, strategies for the local supply chain, and active community engagement.

“After learning from the research centres of the pioneering countries in offshore wind, UFRN has generated knowledge and disseminated it in Brazil and Europe. Collaboration with companies in the market, such as Ocean Winds, is essential if applied research is to develop the offshore wind sector, enabling all stakeholders in this new economic sector in the country to benefit”, said Mario González, coordinator of the Creation/UFRN research centre.

Together, Ocean Winds and UFRN aim to boost economic growth and create job opportunities in Brazil’s offshore wind energy sector, with a focus on workforce development initiatives.

Ocean Winds said that one of the company’s goals is to use its knowledge from its international offshore wind operations, which represent a total capacity of 18.5 GW – 2 GW under construction and 1.5 GW already operational – to strengthen the sector in Brazil.

The company has registered with IBAMA five offshore wind energy project proposals with a total capacity of 15 GW in the states of Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul since 2020, Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, stated.

Recently, the firm signed another MoU with Eletrobras, Latin America’s largest power utility company, to study the development of offshore wind in the country.