Saving carbon dioxide, preserving the local environment

 

The annual electricity output from the Rio do Fogo wind farm is around 130 GWh. According to the emissions factor adopted by the Brazilian National Plan on Climate Change, this means it will avoid the emission of 37,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

 

Wind power can make a major contribution towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions because it produces no carbon dioxide during its operation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the level of global greenhouse gas emissions must peak and begin to decline before 2020. 

 

Rio do Fogo also blends well with the local environment. The area where it is located - sand dunes close to Brazil’s north-east Atlantic coast – is not suitable for agriculture. But income generated by the wind farm is used to support the local agricultural development activities of INCRA, the National Institute of Colonisation and Agrarian Reform.

 

Before construction began, the wind farm developers, Enerbrasil, a subsidiary of Spanish utility Iberdrola Renovables, had to complete a full environmental assessment for the regional agency IDEMA. This included ensuring that there was minimal damage to the site’s vegetation by access roads and construction activities. As is legally required in Brazil, the public will be guaranteed access to the wind farm site during its operation.