Page 26: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2019)

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: OFFSHORE WIND

Equinor Invests in Solar & Wind Energy in Brazil

By Claudio Paschoa

Scatec Solar and Equinor have ? rst major solar plant in Brazil in commercial operation.

Equinor illustration of

Hywind offshore wind farm in shallow waters off

Scotland.

Photo: Equinor ew technologies have con- solar energy project in the world is in is going through – de? ning what kinds pegged for innovative projects, such as tributed for clean energy Brazil – the Apodi solar power plant in of resources are produced and how they deepwater offshore wind energy farms, sources to be aggregated the northern state of Ceará. According to are produced - “We are working strongly placed on barges. To date there are three

Nto the main business plans Margareth Øvrum, Equinor´s president to reduce emissions in our ongoing op- major offshore wind energy projects in of major O&G companies looking for in Brazil, this change in policy was high- erations and development projects,” said the North Sea and it is hoped that the global sustainability options. Some lighted by the change of the company´s Margareth. Equinor is working system- constant offshore winds present off the

IOCs have looked with interest at Bra- name from Statoil to Equinor last year. atically in bettering its energy ef? ciency, coasts of north and northeast Brazil will zil’s clean energy market in search of “If we go back a few years before this tracking and reducing methane emission prove to be ideal locations for large off- new opportunities for acquiring renew- name change announcement, we can in all its natural gas value chain, working shore wind farm projects. able assets in the country, seen as one see that Equinor was already develop- with its suppliers to reduce CO² emis- Other offshore wind projects are in of the most attractive in the world for ing itself into a company with ample sions in its logistics chain and innovat- development in the United States and investments in solar and wind energy energy interests, producing the oil and ing by capturing and storing CO² in all Europe, in Europe alone, these projects generation. The search of alternative en- gas which the world still needs, but with its operations. are responsible for supplying energy to ergy sources in Brazil is spearheaded by lower emissions, at the same time that Equinor´s new strategy triggered a se- over one million residences. Up to now,

Norway’s Equinor - which already owns it built a lucrative portfolio within the ries of internal transformations which re- around $2.3 billion have been invested clean energy assets in Brazil - along with renewable energy market,” said Marga- ? ect on daily business practices. One of in this area and Equinor´s proprietary

France’s Total, Royal Dutch Shell, and reth. Equinor is at the top of the rank- their aims is for its total oil and gas port- technology in ? oating wind farm plat- possibly also UK´s BP. ing of O&G players most prepared for folio to reach 8kg of CO² per barrel of oil forms should permit its use in deepwa-

Equinor opted for a comprehensive a low carbon future, according to CDP, produced, a number signi? cantly below ters, which may be another solution for business strategy, therefore, along with an international organization that helps the industry average of 17kg of CO² per producing clean energy to be used on being a major player in the local oil and companies and governments to under- barrel. Their investments are on a rise remote pre-salt production units off- gas sector, it has been working on ex- take actions to lower emissions. Equinor in terms of renewable energy, mainly shore Brazil. It is important to note that panding its portfolio in Brazil by way of is also a supporter of the Paris Accord related to solar and offshore wind en- until 2030, Equinor will invest $15 bil- renewable energy projects with invest- on emission control. According to Mar- ergy. Equinor has earmarked around 15 lion in its strategic operations in Brazil, ments in solar and wind energy. Brazil gareth, Equinor works in conjunction to 20% of its total annual investment for the largest foreign investment that the is strategic to the company´s clean en- with other sectors of society to offer the development of new energy solution major player is committed to globally. ergy production plans. Equinor´s ? rst answers to the many changes the world until 2030. Much of these resources are A signi? cant part of these funds is tar- 26 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • NOVEMBER 2019

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