Breitener Energetica Replaces Heavy Fuel with Natural Gas
Seeking to fulfill local utility plans in Brazil, independent power producer Breitener Energética S.A. has launched a project to replace power plants running on heavy fuel-oil with new, cleaner-burning natural gas engines supplied by GE and also create a more reliable energy source for the country’s northern regions.
“Our project with GE underscores our ongoing support of Brazil’s goals to reduce the country’s industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing older power stations with advanced generation technology equipped with modern exhaust controls.”
Brazil has established a goal of reducing its GHG emissions by between 36.1 and 38.9 percent from projected amounts in 2020.
Breitener is converting its UTE Mattos and UTE Fran heavy fuel-oil plants to use natural gas, which produces fewer emissions compared to heavy fuel-oil. The power company will then install 46 of GE’s low-emission Jenbacher gas engine generator sets—23 units at each plant site— to generate a combined 120 megawatts (MW) for the Amazon city of Manaus, northern Brazil’s second-largest city. The natural gas will be delivered by a new pipeline connecting the oil and gas fields of Urucu in northern Brazil with the city of Manaus, enhancing Brazil’s domestic energy security.
“Brazil is facing a daunting challenge of minimizing the impacts of energy production while also meeting the demands for electricity in growing cities like Manaus,” said Wagner Silva, chief executive officer of Breitener Energética S.A..
Breitener cited GE’s expanded gas engine manufacturing center in Jenbach, Austria, for having the engine production capacity needed to meet the power company’s delivery and construction schedules.
GE is scheduled to deliver the first four gen-sets in April. Installation will begin as soon as the units arrive at the site.