Other Sources of Energy

Investing in using renewable energy sources that do not hinder the environment is part of our objectives.

As an energy company that is committed to sustainable development, we research and produce several renewable sources of energy. We seek to harness the energy there is in the power of the winds, in sunlight and rivers, and undertake research with fuel hydrogen, for example.

Wind energy

The use of the power of the winds to generate electricity is the source of energy that grows the most in the world: nearly 30% a year.

Wind energy is among the power sources that have the least environmental impact, since it uses no water and produces no polluting gases. At Petrobras, we have been using a pilot plant in the city of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, since 2004.

In 2011, we kicked off commercial operations at the Potiguar, Cabugi, Juriti and Mangue Seco plants. Each of them is fitted with 13 2-MW aerogenerators, turning the Mangue Seco Wind Power Park into the one with the biggest installed capacity in Brazil with this type of aerogenerator (104 MW). Enough power to supply a population of 350,000 inhabitants.

Solar energy

Sunlight is essential for life on Earth. The Sun's rays carry energy that can be used to heat water or to generate electricity. Our research lines cover these two forms: thermal and photovoltaic energy.

Its usage can substitute for the use of diesel generators in devices used to monitor small oil production platforms.

We also have a thermosolar unit installation program for refineries, production fields, and service stations in Brazil.

Water energy

Brazilians are very familiar with hydroelectric plants. Using them affords us the least expensive electric energy.

In order to use the power of the rivers, an abundant natural resource in our country, we invest in Small Hydroelectric Plants (SHPs). This type of project allows the needs of small urban centers, rural regions, and industrial units to be better met.

Fuel Hydrogen

In the search of a source of energy that produces no toxic compounds, major corporations have been investing heavily in making the use of fuel hydrogen feasible.

Our research uses a hydrogen fuel cell that supplies electricity to move a vehicle. We have developed the prototype of a bus inspired in the trolley bus (electric bus) concept.

In the end of the process, hydrogen blends with oxygen and forms the molecules of water that will be expelled through the vehicles' exhaust pipes.

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Get to know the city of Alternative Energies

Hydrogen fuel

In the city of the future, vehicles might be propelled by a hydrogen-based fuel which, combined with oxygen, produces steam and generates a clean residue.

Just think: a bus that only discharges water vapor through its exhaust pipe and has an autonomy of up to 300 km!

One of Petrobras' fuel of the future research projects is the hydrogen-fueled bus. Experimental vehicles have already been tested on the streets and approved.

Solar energy

Solar panels are increasingly powerful and their cost is expected to decrease. This turns solar energy into an economically feasible, clean solution. In the future, houses may be equipped with their own panels to capture and convert the energy of the sun into electricity. These panels are capable of generating enough energy to heat both the environment and water.

Petrobras is already using solar energy at a few of its service stations to energize fuel pumps and light signs.

Wind energy

Wind power is among the sources of energy of the future, and it has been under the limelight because it uses no water and generates no gas emissions.

The aerogenerators can be used at sites where winds blow at more than 3 km/h for eight hours per day. Power starts being produced at wind speeds of 10 km/h and the turbines support winds of up to 60 km/h.

Petrobras' wind energy park, installed in Macau, Rio Grande do Norte, is an example of the investments the company has made in this technology. The energy that is generated is used at the local operating units or transferred to platforms over submarine power cables.

Hydroelectric power

Generating electricity using the power of the rivers is almost always associated to large dams, but this image has been changing with the alternative solution brought about by the small hydroelectric plants, the SHPs, which have the environmental advantage of not requiring large areas to be flooded.

Because of the constant flow of water, a hydroelectric plant generates a larger volume of power compared to other clean sources of energy, allowing it to meet the needs of small urban centers, rural regions, and industries.