EDF and the Brazilian Power Sector

Electricité de France (EDF) is a leading player in the European energy market by being both the first electricity producer in Europe and the world’s leading nuclear plant operator. EDF is also the first electricity producer and supplier in France. However, Europe, EDF’s core market, is currently underperforming: the European sovereign debt crisis is lowering significantly the growth perspective of an energy market that has already reached its maturity. As a consequence, European energy companies are now looking at international markets and especially BRIC economies where economic growth potential remains high. Among them, Brazil is expected to keep its strong economic and electricity demand growth perspectives for the coming decades. Though Brazil has not been considered as a strategic priority for EDF after the Light reversal in 2006, the current economic situation has led the Group to reconsider its position toward the country. EDF’s current presence in Brazil is limited to its stake in UTE Norte Fluminense, a thermal plant, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This report investigates the possibility and the feasibility of EDF’s activities expansion in Brazil and what added value it could bring for the Brazilian power market. Considering that the status quo would not allow EDF to take full advantage of Brazil’s future growth, this work is identifying the various options that are currently opened to EDF: market exit, status quo, EDF alone, local partner. For that purpose, this study collects and analyses the latest energy market data as well as generation companies’ information which are necessary to give a relevant overview of the current brazilian power sector and to present EDF strategic options for the country.

Análise da comercialização de energia elétrica cogerada pelo setor sucroalcooleiro no estado de São Paulo

O Brasil viveu, em 2001, uma crise de oferta de energia elétrica sem precedentes que coincidiu com o processo de reestruturação do setor elétrico brasileiro e possibilitou aos autoprodutores de energia elétrica,como o setor sucroalcooleiro, comercializarem o excedente de energia, obtidos pelo processo de cogeração, que apesar do elevado potencial de comercialização, não está sendo devidamente aproveitado. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar o mercado de energia elétrica cogerada e analisar os obstáculos à comercialização da energia cogerada, à luz da existência dos custos de transação e econômicos, enfrentados pelo setor sucroalcooleiro e distribuidoras. Para a coleta de informações, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com o responsável pela área de cogeração das usinas e distribuidora de energia, que consistiam em perguntas pré-determinadas que foram lidas na mesma ordem e da mesma maneira para todos os entrevistados para assegurar a comparabilidade dos resultados. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas e examinadas por meio da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados indicaram que poderiam ser estabelecidos contratos de longo prazo, mas os custos de transação e econômicos entre os agentes podem estar superando os benefícios da comercialização de energia elétrica cogerada, fazendo os agentes atuarem preferencialmente no mercado spot

Allocation of the costs of transmission losses

An analysis of the performance of six major methods of loss allocation for generators and demands was conducted, based on pro-rata (two), on incremental factors (two), on proportional sharing (PS) (one), and on electric circuit theory (one). Using relatively simple examples which can easily be checked, the advantages and disadvantages of each were ascertained and the results confirmed using a larger sample system (IEEE-118). The discussion considers the location and size of generators and demands, as well as the merits of the location of these agents for each configuration based on an analysis of the effect of various network modifications. Furthermore, an application in the South-Southeastern Brazilian Systems is performed. Conclusions and recommendations are presented. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecção de faltas em sistemas de distribuição de energia elétrica usando dispositivos programáveis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Planejamento da expansão de sistemas elétricos de distribuição considerando fatores de riscos em análise econômica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Um modelo de pré-despacho hidrotérmico para mercados de energia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Modelo de leilão multiperíodo para sistemas hidrotérmicos com representação da transmissão

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEB

Um modelo de pré-despacho para o ambiente dos novos mercados de energia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise técnico-econômica da utilização de um gerador à gás natural em um sistema de cogeração: estudo de caso

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Alocação de perdas e custos pelo uso do sistema de transmissão

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

O advento de novas matrizes energéticas no Brasil: experiências da implantação do PNPB em Mirante do Paranapanema e a produção de biodiesel em Mauá, Estado de São Paulo

Faced with the global discussion about the development of new alternative energy sources, this work tries to contribute to the understanding of the introduction of biodiesel in the energy market, identifying the barriers in the social logic, economic and productive in different spaces, rural and urban. Based on the guidelines of the National Biodiesel Production and Use Program (PNPB), it intended to accompany the implementation of public policies in relation to family farmers settled in the Pontal, located in the western region of São Paulo. In parallel, we will analyze the organizational structure and logistics of the production of biodiesel in the city, although it does not dependent on agricultural production and it is not a target of public policies, it takes advantage of the demand created by PNPB when it comes to increasing the amount of biodiesel blended with mineral origin diesel. The activity examined in the urban space is the collection of used frying oil held by Ecosanta Biofuels, a company located in the town of Maua, São Paulo metropolitan region. The monograph aims to broaden our understanding despite the urban-rural issue regarding the obstacles and opportunities in expanding renewable energy

Estudo da produção de hidrogênio eletrolítico a partir de fontes eólica, solar e hidrelétrica

Introduces technical, economic and environmentally competitive solutions in the energy market is a great challenge for society. This work examines each of these aspects considering the production of electrolytic hydrogen with energy from wind power, solar and hydropower, in order to ensure an overview of this energy carrier. Initially, an assessment of the technical aspects is made addressing existing electrolysers technologies, its main characteristics and differences. The geographical distribution of wind, solar and hydroelectric potential in Brazil is also mapped, and a configuration scheme of a hydrogen production system is discussed. Subsequently, the economic analysis calculates the cost of investment in the alkaline electrolyser of 60 Nm³ / h, similar to the Brazilian bus powered by hydrogen project, coordinated by EMTU. Since the main input of electrolysis is electricity, is analyzed the latest energy auctions of each primary source and it is calculated the cost of production of the wind, solar and hydropower hydrogen. Postponed to this, are investigated the intrinsic environmental impacts of electricity generation process, proposing a readjustment of an indicator of ecological efficiency for the production of hydrogen. Finally, the work discusses the concept of externalities and demonstrates how the incorporation of external costs can leverage the hydrogen economy. In short, it is evident that the wind and hydroelectric hydrogens are more promising compared to solar hydrogen, whether in the economic aspect, because it achieved lower costs, whether in the environmental aspect, because it reached the highest ecological efficiency

Estudo sobre o panorama da energia elétrica no Brasil e tendências futuras

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEB

Making the case for grid-connected photovoltaics in Brazil

In the developed world, grid-connected photovoltaics (PVs) are the fastest-growing segment of the energy market. From 1999 to 2009, this industry had a 42% compound annual growth-rate. From 2009 to 2013, it is expected to grow to 45%, and in 2013 the achievement of grid parity - when the cost of solar electricity becomes competitive with conventional retail (including taxes and charges) grid-supplied electricity - is expected in many places worldwide. Grid-connected PV is usually perceived as an energy technology for developed countries, whereas isolated, stand-alone PV is considered as more suited for applications in developing nations, where so many individuals still lack access to electricity. This rationale is based on the still high costs of PV when compared with conventional electricity. We make the case for grid-connected PV generation in Brazil, showing that with the declining costs of PV and the rising prices of conventional electricity, urban populations in Brazil will also enjoy grid parity in the present decade. We argue that governments in developing nations should act promptly and establish the mandates and necessary conditions for their energy industry to accumulate experience in grid-connected PV, and make the most of this benign technology in the near future. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and characterization of a distributed measurement system for the evaluation of voltage quality in electric power networks

The research activity carried out during the PhD course in Electrical Engineering belongs to the branch of electric and electronic measurements. The main subject of the present thesis is a distributed measurement system to be installed in Medium Voltage power networks, as well as the method developed to analyze data acquired by the measurement system itself and to monitor power quality. In chapter 2 the increasing interest towards power quality in electrical systems is illustrated, by reporting the international research activity inherent to the problem and the relevant standards and guidelines emitted. The aspect of the quality of voltage provided by utilities and influenced by customers in the various points of a network came out only in recent years, in particular as a consequence of the energy market liberalization. Usually, the concept of quality of the delivered energy has been associated mostly to its continuity. Hence the reliability was the main characteristic to be ensured for power systems. Nowadays, the number and duration of interruptions are the “quality indicators” commonly perceived by most customers; for this reason, a short section is dedicated also to network reliability and its regulation. In this contest it should be noted that although the measurement system developed during the research activity belongs to the field of power quality evaluation systems, the information registered in real time by its remote stations can be used to improve the system reliability too. Given the vast scenario of power quality degrading phenomena that usually can occur in distribution networks, the study has been focused on electromagnetic transients affecting line voltages. The outcome of such a study has been the design and realization of a distributed measurement system which continuously monitor the phase signals in different points of a network, detect the occurrence of transients superposed to the fundamental steady state component and register the time of occurrence of such events. The data set is finally used to locate the source of the transient disturbance propagating along the network lines. Most of the oscillatory transients affecting line voltages are due to faults occurring in any point of the distribution system and have to be seen before protection equipment intervention. An important conclusion is that the method can improve the monitored network reliability, since the knowledge of the location of a fault allows the energy manager to reduce as much as possible both the area of the network to be disconnected for protection purposes and the time spent by technical staff to recover the abnormal condition and/or the damage. The part of the thesis presenting the results of such a study and activity is structured as follows: chapter 3 deals with the propagation of electromagnetic transients in power systems by defining characteristics and causes of the phenomena and briefly reporting the theory and approaches used to study transients propagation. Then the state of the art concerning methods to detect and locate faults in distribution networks is presented. Finally the attention is paid on the particular technique adopted for the same purpose during the thesis, and the methods developed on the basis of such approach. Chapter 4 reports the configuration of the distribution networks on which the fault location method has been applied by means of simulations as well as the results obtained case by case. In this way the performance featured by the location procedure firstly in ideal then in realistic operating conditions are tested. In chapter 5 the measurement system designed to implement the transients detection and fault location method is presented. The hardware belonging to the measurement chain of every acquisition channel in remote stations is described. Then, the global measurement system is characterized by considering the non ideal aspects of each device that can concur to the final combined uncertainty on the estimated position of the fault in the network under test. Finally, such parameter is computed according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurements, by means of a numeric procedure. In the last chapter a device is described that has been designed and realized during the PhD activity aiming at substituting the commercial capacitive voltage divider belonging to the conditioning block of the measurement chain. Such a study has been carried out aiming at providing an alternative to the used transducer that could feature equivalent performance and lower cost. In this way, the economical impact of the investment associated to the whole measurement system would be significantly reduced, making the method application much more feasible.