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The São Pedro Farm, located in São Miguel do Iguaçu, in the west of Paraná, was already a pioneer in the country about ten years ago, producing electricity from biogas generated with pig-raising waste. Now it is once again at the forefront of renewable energies, with the implementation of a microgrid integrated into Copels distribution network.
MARCH 27, 2019 PILAR SÁNCHEZ MOLINA
As explained by Paulo Afonso Schmidt, Superintendent of Renewable Energy of Itaipu, microgrids are one of the most promising fields in the technological development of the coming years, due to their strategic importance and to enable the use of different renewable sources (such as biogas, solar energy and wind power), as alternatives to guarantee the energy security associated with the concept of distributed or decentralized generation (the production of energy carried out with the consuming units).
In western Paraná, the adoption of microgrids can become an important tool to consolidate the region as the main center of production of animal proteins in the country. It is estimated a growth of almost 90% in the consumption of electricity in the region in the next decade.
At Granja São Pedro, owned by the Colombari family, a microgrid has been installed as the first phase of a project to be developed by Itaipú and Copel. The initiative is based on the experience of Copel Distribuição, chosen as the best national company of the segment and a pioneer in the area of ??rural electrification, and Itaipú, the largest energy producer in the world from a sustainable source.
"Today, in the livestock activities of the region, energy is an essential input, both for the supply of electricity and for the air conditioning of poultry farms. The damage caused by a possible lack of energy is great, "explained Pedro Antonio Colombari.
Schmidt, afirma que la viabilidad del proyecto se debe a las nuevas tecnologías que han venido permitiendo la adopción de sistemas inteligentes que permiten la integración eficiente de diferentes fuentes renovables en microrredes. Además, es posible conectarlas a la red de distribución y los productores puede vender la energía excedente al distribuidor, de acuerdo con el modelo actual creado por la Agencia Nacional de Energía Eléctrica (Aneel).
In a next stage, the project plans to expand to 500 kW, with an estimated investment of 15 million reais in 48 months. The alliance between Itaipu and Copel also foresees, in the future, investments in laboratories and research in microgrids, the implementation of pilot units for the generation of electric power at different scales and the participation of the municipalities of the region. The choice of these municipalities took into account the high concentration of herds (mainly pigs) and their location on the margins of the Itaipu reservoir, thus reducing the polluting potential of these activities. |
