President Jair Bolsonaro signed a provisional measure that opens a budget credit of R$1.9 billion ($380 mm)to ensure the purchase of 100 million doses and local production of the possible vaccine against Covid-19 developed by the British laboratory AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, and said he hopes to have the problem of the pandemic solved with the vaccination of the population in early 2021.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Brazilian agribusiness advanced 4.65% in the first five months of the year compared to the same period in 2019, the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA) reported in a statement. According to the CNA, the increase in prices was one of the factors that drove the GDP, both in agriculture and livestock.
The acquisition of the Chuí wind farm will reduce Omega’s annual generation uncertainty by 25%. The generator added 582.8 MW of installed capacity to its portfolio, in Rio Grande do Sul. The assets were controlled by Eletrobras. This was the largest single transaction ever made by Omega, which involved the payment of R$ 568 million ($113 mm) in cash and long-term debt, totalling just over R$ 1.5 billion ($300 mm).
The free-market wind projects under the Special Regime of Incentives for Infrastructure Development (Reidi), from January 2018 to July 2020, represent more than R$ 21 billion ($4.2 bn) in investments, according to a study by ePowerBay. In total, there are 136 wind projects with 4,677 MW of power, distributed in eight Brazilian states.
The National Electrical Energy Agency (Aneel) approved the announcement of the transmission auction to be held in December. There will be 25 transmission lines and 12 substations. The works will require investments of R$ 7.350 billion ($1.4 bn) and delivery time between 42 and 60 months. It is estimated that 15 thousand jobs will be generated. The contracts will have a 30-year term.
The Copom (Monetary Policy Committee) from Brazilian Central Bank cut the basic interest rate (Selic) by 0.25 percentage points, from 2.25% to 2% per year. This is the lowest level since the beginning of the historical series in 1996. The decision was unanimous and came as expected by most market analysts.
The Ministry of Economy approved $230 million to finance AgroNortheast actions. The funds will come from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with $ 40 million in counterparts from the Union, for a period of six years. AgroNordeste aims to promote increased competitiveness of agriculture and livestock in the Northeast Region, northern Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais.
The São Fernando 1 wind power plant received a positive opinion from Aneel, releasing tests on the UG11 to UG16 wind turbines, totalling 20.8 MW of installed capacity in São Bento do Norte (RN). Another test release was for CGH Laje de Pedra, comprising two generating units and totalling 3 MW of capacity in the municipality of Concórdia (SC).
A pilot project for the installation of solar panels in public schools in Paraná will start operating this year. According to the government, 224 schools will be covered with a total investment of R$ 46.5 million ($ 9.4mm). According to SEDU secretary, João Carlos Ortega, the target is that the program reaches 180 municipalities in Paraná in one year. Throughout the state, 5,500 schools will be able to adopt the solar generation system.
AES Tietê informed that it acquired all the shares of the companies that make up the Ventus Wind Complex (Brasventos Eolo, King of Winds 3 and Miassaba 3), located in the Northeast region, for the total amount of up to R$ 650 million ($130 mm). Of this amount, 51% of R$ 449 million ($89.8 mm) will be paid at the closing of the operation and 49% after five months from completion.
