 |
|
|
|
|
|
» Priority Program for Thermoelectricity – PPT
Designed to assure power supply for the next few years, the PPT was in charge of building 57 thermoelectricity plants which, since 2003, have been responsible for more than half the country’s demand for natural gas.
Petrobras has direct participation in 29 plants, and has invested US$7 billion in the program. Its minority stakes are in the order of 25%.
The use of gas turbines to generate electricity, now in use by industries all over the world, is currently also being adopted in Brazil. The reduced installation period, lower costs, operational safety, and low environmental impact are some very important features for the installation of thermoelectricity plants that use gas turbines.
Petrobras has shareholdings in ten cogeneration plants, with capacity for 4,000 megawatts of electricity and 2,400 tons/hour of steam, and in 19 thermoelectricity plants that will generate 7,000 megawatts.
Cogeneration is the sequential production of propelling power and heat at a same plant, i.e., generating electricity and water steam simultaneously.
Although this is an ancient technique, cogeneration only got more visibility as of the 1960’s, when industrial use gas turbines became popular. Because of this, cogeneration became known as a facility where electric power is generated with gas turbines. In fact, any facility that generates work and heat simultaneously is considered a cogeneration facility.
Cogeneration plants generate electric power and steam (thermal energy), used for Petrobras’ own consumption. Meanwhile, thermoelectric plants generate energy in a combined cycle. In this process, steam is produced, which, in turn, is used to generate more electric power.
Another line of the Priority Program for Thermoelectricity (PPT) is distributed generation, which has become crucial for distribution pipeline network expansion, since it will help meet industrial, commercial and household demands.
It involves self-production and co-generation of electric power via small-size projects (up to 100 megawatts) or in a condominium system.
Instituted as a Government program, in the ambit of the PPT, distributed generation is necessary to ensure supply quality, particularly on the short- and mid-term.
The main advantages associated to adopting the distributed generation concept include:
- Project deployment speed;
- Easy connection to the power grid, environmental licensing, and financing;
- Turning “final consumption customers” into power “offer generators;”
- Dispersion in the distribution system.
There are already 37 projects of this kind signed throughout the country.
|
|
|
|
|
