A giant potential of renewable energy sources waits for entrepreneurs to develop it. These sources are GEOTHERMAL and SEA ENERGY.

1. BRAZIL’S GIANT POWER SOURCE WAITS FOR ENTREPENEURSHIP
Paulino E. Coelho, Ph.D., wastepec@hotmail.com
In the early 70s, during the first oil crisis, Brazil started looking for alternative sources of
energy. By that time large hydropower projects were at its very beginning. Among
alternatives sought were solar and wind that by then used to have prohibitive costs and
low efficiency. On the other hand biofuels were also targeted by then. In the search for
other forms of energy Brazil had also tapped its geothermal potential.
With the success of the biofuel projects and after large hydropower plants and the
introduction of one nuclear power plant, besides improvements made in a couple of coal
power plants, most alternative energy projects were left behind.
Ten years later, practically all southeastern hydropower sources were developed and
another oil crisis had triggered an economic crisis in Brazil that lasted for an additional ten
to fifteen years. In this meantime all skills in large engineering projects have vanished.
From the mid-90s Brazil’s economy had a strong recovery, making it one of the largest
economies in the world and an emerging country. This called the interest of other
countries and foreign entrepreneurs that have seen in the country a great opportunity for
making money. Economic growth also demanded more energy that the country didn’t
prepared for. With this, new frontiers for large hydropower plants had risen, making room
for large projects in the so called west-center of the country and nowadays the Amazon
region.
However, natural delay between project design and energy supply allied to justified
environmental pressures, turned it possible new ventures in alternative energy supply.
The, up to then, so called little reliable, low efficiency, high cost, wind energy, took a new
breath, mainly due to the interest of foreign investors in making money in Brazil.
Wind power energy suppliers and makers from all over the world, brought their experience
to the country and had succeeded in, once for all, introducing this energy source in Brazil,
with great emphasis in the Northeastern part of the country. Prices became competitive
with other sources of energy and supply trust was considered reasonable for the
consumption of the areas where projects were introduced. This example must be followed
by other entrepreneurs with other energy sources.
One problem that arose from the energy source expansion, not only in terms of
alternatives, but also in terms of geography, was distribution. Nowadays there are power
plants that are ready to supply energy but do not have a way of distributing it. It is

2. common to have communities around a very large wind power plant without energy
supply due to lack in distribution lines.
Because of economic interests Brazil still follows the not sustainable way of providing
energy by means of large plants and not self-generation, which has shyly started in the
country. Next step is to build giant solar farms.
Regardless of trends or wrong doings, history has shown that although changing ideas
come through, only long time after and with foreign risk takers and entrepreneurship these
ideas are developed in Brazil, mainly if the country does not have the experience or the
skills to develop them. Research in Brazil is mainly concentrated in the hands of the
government and, researchers, as well as universities, in Brazil, are far apart society
needs. Pure and frontier research are the main targets in the research area in Brazil, and
not applied or technological research that the country badly needs. Once again, this
behavior gives room to foreign skillful and experienced entrepreneurs to bring their
technology and invest them in Brazil in order to obtain results. One example to be
followed is from people in the wind energy area. Plants in Brazil far exceed the largest
size of most wind energy farms all over the world. Size of the country, population,
economic growth and energy demand makes Brazil the ideal country to invest in known
energy sources available in the country, but whose technology is overseas. This is what
makes the reason for this article.
There are two GIANT power sources in Brazil almost completely forgotten and
unexploited in the country, that could be developed in a very sustainable way, by small
projects, and, at the same time, by means of large power supply schemes. They are
GEOTHERMAL energy and ENERGY FROM THE OCEAN.
For long time GEOTHERMAL energy was restricted to volcanic or tectonic plaques
borders areas. However, with the development of new binary plants, as for example
KALINA plants, the use of fluids with lower vapor pressure, turned it possible to use this
source of energy in areas where ground temperatures are not as high as in so called
tectonically active areas. In addition to that, ground temperatures stabilization makes the
Earth, wherever you are, an ideal heat exchanger, turning it an ideal AIR CONDITIONER
anywhere. This means energy saving all over the world and an additional energy source
for air comfort, including in Brazil.
However, contacts with important Brazilian Engineering Procurement and Contracting
(EPC) companies have shown they are very resistant to the idea of trying the use of
GEOTHERMAL energy for air conditioning or power generation. Although the technology
already exists and is commercial overseas they are not sure how to make it work in Brazil
and if it is possible to make it work here. On the other hand they also do not want to invest

3. to have the answer. In addition government research sponsors do not consider this a
priority area to invest, mainly considering this is known technology. This was exactly the
case of wind energy, until foreign investors decided to come to Brazil and “make it
happen”. The same applies to GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.
GEOTHERMAL energy potential knowledge relies mainly in data obtained in the late 70s
due to the first oil crisis of the early 70s. Nothing or very little has been made since then.
A few university groups make some research in this area, but they lack resources to make
it systematically up to the implementation of a large demonstration project.
So far no high enthalpy GEOTHERMAL resources have been detected in Brazil.
However, there are some potential for medium enthalpy resources that can generate
electric energy by means of binary systems. On the other hand the vast majority of all
detected resources and great part in use are low enthalpy.
Exploitation technology for GEOTHERMAL energy generation includes deep drilling
whose experience derives from Oil exploitation drilling. Therefore, oil companies are
potential partners in this venture, mainly considering obsolescence of oil as fuel in the
long time.
Geothermal drilling for energy generation depends on geothermal gradient. Brazil’s
average geothermal gradient is around 30o.C/Km. However, regional extremes may be
found between Oo.C and 45o.C/Km. Anomalous areas may present gradients as high as
90o.C/Km locally. If one consider conservatively an area of geothermal gradient of
45o.C/Km, it can be expected drillings down to 5Km deep to generate energy.
Presently, the only geothermal resources being exploited in Brazil are those so called
BRT, PIS and PBT. Nevertheless, exploitation areas need a better management of such
resources and promotion of such use where there is potential demand. Total installed
capacity in Brazil is 362MW. PIS represents 343MW, BRT equals 16MW and TDB only
3MW. Among these, there are 12 agricultural drying and industrial process heating
systems.
High enthalpy project areas in Brazil rest to be identified. On the other hand, so called
medium enthalpy resources have some potential already identified that expects for further
feasibility studies.
Total geothermal energy potential in Brazil has to be updated. Nevertheless, old
estimates, up to now still considered by the World Energy Council, mentions 3GW. The
most important is that great part of such potential is near the largest energy consumer
cities, areas and regions of the country.

4. A readily available, low cost, entrepreneurship promoter and low technology demander
way of using geothermal energy in the country is in the AIR CONDITIONING area.
Although in the case of Brazil most geothermal energy systems will be used for air
cooling, in the south region or mountainous areas, these may be used for heating.
Experience and skill is very well developed in this area, in United States. One may even
say there is a GEOTHERMAL AIR CONDITIONING SHOP in “every corner” of the
country. Equipment is simple, as well as its assembly. A heating pump that can be called
cooling pump in warmer regions, may be even bought cheaply through the World Wide
Web, even from China. Although installation costs may be a little higher (20%) when
compared to conventional air conditioning, low or absence of maintenance and, less
energy consumption (no need to consume energy for heating or cooling) may reduce
operational costs of GEOTHERMAL AIR CONDITIONING down to 50% or less of
conventional air conditioning or heating systems.
In economic terms, considering energy supply for electricity and heating, geothermal
energy in the world has shown to be the most economical option after biomass, in terms
of investments and energy supply, when compared to biomass, wind and solar energy.
For electric generation investment costs for turnkey plants are between US$800 and
US$3000 per KW. Meanwhile supply stands between 2 and 10 cents per Kwh, pointing to
1 to 10 cents per Kwh in the future. Another advantage when compared to other energy
sources is that availability of geothermal power plants are above 90%. When used for air
conditioning or heating, cost numbers are even lower, with plants in the range of US$200
and US$2000 per KW and consumption costs between 0,5 and 5 cents per Kwh.
Geothermal energy also surpasses most other forms of energy in use, when
environmental costs are considered. Studies in Australia have shown that emission
control costs per MWh are lower than for conventional fuel plants, wind power, solar
power and power from biomass. The same stands for the overall environmental impact of
geothermal energy.
Finally, only one question remains: What are you waiting for investing in geothermal
energy in Brazil?