Morocco cooperate with Brazil in Wind Energy Generation

South-South environmental cooperation is still way below the real potential that it has in delivering experiences between developing countries and sharing resources and expertise. Any bilateral or inter-regional programmes will always be of great benefits provided a balanced set up is reached in the design of cooperation programmes. This is a very good example of cooperation between Morocco and Brazil in utilizing wind energy potential. The following is a news item published in Arab-Brazil News Agency (ANBA)

Marina Sarruf*
marina.sarruf@anba.com.br

São Paulo – Theolia Emerging Markets, a company in the area of wind energy in Morocco, is going to manage the operations of a Brazilian company starting in 2008. The Moroccan company, based in Casablanca, will be in charge of coordinating the Brazilian unit which will work in the same sector, generation of wind energy. The Moroccan and Brazilian company belong to French holding Theolia. The company from France recently acquired both units and will make the Moroccan subsidiary its headquarters for operations in emerging markets, including Brazil.

The plan of the French group, which operates in development, construction and operation of wind farms, is to expand operations in developing nations. "Our base in South America will be Brazil, and from there we plan to expand our operations to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay," said the Theolia operations vice president, Arne Lorenzen.

In early September, Theolia purchased the largest wind farm in Morocco. This was the group's first purchase in an emerging market. Located in Tetouan, in the north of the Arab country, the farm has 84 wind turbines, with an installed capacity of 50.4 megawatts (MW). According to Lorenzen, the Theolia Emerging Markets commercial office will be based in Casablanca and the company will manage its future operations in India, Eastern Europe, Northern and Sub Saharan Africa and South America. "Our projects in these regions are in their initial phases," he added.

In Brazil, the wind farms bought by the group are in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. According to Lorenzen, they belonged to German group Natural Energy Corporation (Natenco), which was incorporated into Theolia in December last year. Apart from these farms, the group also has projects in the northeast of Brazil. In the initial phase, operations in the country should generate 260 MW. "Brazil has a very great wind potential. Currently, the country uses very much hydroelectric energy, but I believe it is necessary to diversify," stated Lorenzen.

According to him, the Brazilian coast is a key to the generation of wind energy. "Brazil is currently like France was eight years ago and how Germany was 15 years ago," he said, comparing wind generation. France currently generates around 2,000 MW and Germany, 20,000 MW. "I believe that Brazil has an even greater potential," he said. "The South American nations have potential for generation of thousands of megawatts," he added. Lorenzen believes that operations in Brazil should begin in early 2009. The Theolia Emerging Markets objective is to have an installed capacity of 600 MW by 2011.