Brazilian drinks company, Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (Ambev) has announced plans to invest $60 million in ten cogeneration plants. The ten plants, which are being built as part of a government sponsored programme to encourage cogeneration, are expected to be completed by 2003.
The gas-fired power stations are expected to replace 83 MW of demand by Ambev for electricity. The BNDES, Brazil’s national bank, may finance up to 60per cent of the investment for the project. Under the terms of the government programme, Ambev may also be entitled to buy natural gas from the federal company Petrobras at reduced prices. The federal government has undertaken to guarantee gas supplies to participating concerns for 20 years.
The first Ambev project under the new scheme is to be built in Rio de Janeiro. It will involve expansion of a 12 MW facility that the company has been using since 1996.
Brazil currently has a cogeneration capacity of around 600 MW, less than 1 per cent of the country’s total generating capacity of 70 000 MW. The US, by contrast, has cogen capacity equivalent to 7 per cent of the national total while in the Netherlands the proportion is 35 per cent. The Brazilian government is hoping to see cogeneration increase to 2500 MW by 2004 and 4500 MW by 2008.