Brasília – The investment required to meet the demand for energy in Brazil over the coming ten years will be 952 billion Brazilian reals (US$ 550 billion). The highest investment, in oil and natural gas exploration, production and supply, should be 672 billion reals (US$ 388 billion). In order to guarantee the exchange of electric energy among different regions of the country, investment in energy transmission should be 39 billion reals (US$ 22.5 billion).
The figures were culled from the 2019 Decennial Energy Expansion Plan, disclosed by by the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy, which outlines the scenario of growth in the country’s energy supply and the investment needs for the next ten years.
The domestic demand for electric power in the country should go from 539.9 terawatts per hour (Twh) in 2010 to around 830 TWh in 2019, representing growth of 53.7%. The plan takes into consideration that final energy consumption should go from 228 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2010 to 365.7 million in 2019, which results in average annual growth of 5.4%. The tonne of oil equivalent is a unit into which the measuring units for different energy sources are converted.
The plan also estimates that oil production should rise by 161% and natural gas production, by 187%. A total of 1,707 kilometres of pipelines should be added to the country’s existing network. The demand for liquid biofuels should grow at an annual rate of 8.7% for ethanol and 9.8% for biodiesel, and investment should reach 66 billion reals (US$ 38.1 billion).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
