Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijan consumes 104,000 bbl/day of oil  (2010 est.)
• Azerbaijan consumes 10.59 billion cu m of natural gas (2009 est.)
• Azerbaijan is an oil, natural gas and hydrocarbon reserve producing nation
• State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources (SAARES) created July 16, 2009
• No currently installed renewable energy sources
• Spring 2011 ‘Promoting Development of Sustainable Energy in Azerbaijan’ project launched
• The current legal and institutional policies are not attractive for potential investors
• The wind energy resource potential is estimated of 110 x 109 kWh/y
• Biomass will be used on a small scale, current forest area is 14,400 km2, 3.2% of territory
• Geothermal production estimates are around 25,000 cm day
• Hydropower potential 1000 MW, additional 62 MW of planned hydropower
• Solar power projects will be planned, as Azerbaijan gets on average 260-280 days of sun a year
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• Biomass
• Only a few small pilot projects using biomass have been developed in Azerbaijan. The area of forests in the country is 14,400 km2, equivalent to 3.2 percent of the overall territory. There are significant agricultural operations in the country, which could provide residues for biomass combustion or gasification, as well as wastes for biogas production from animal manures. There may also be potential for methane production from landfills.

Colombia

Distribution energy production

• Biomass energy production: The waist of sugar cane and rice husk, both important products for the agro economy of Colombia are being used at the northeast and the Caribbean region for energy production (local consumption)

Wind energy

• At the Guajira region the Public Enterprises Company from Medellín installed and wind park, with 15 air turbines.
• This kind energy production had benefit to the rural areas population because in many cases they don’t have access to electric energy (don’t’ have public services).
• These improvements have had no only important impacts on environment, but also on the quality of life of some populations.

Solar energy

• Colombia has a great potential on the production of as solar, ocean, and geothermal energy
• The first thermal heaters in Colombia were developed as a response of the energy crisis during the 90’s and also as a solution to the lack of access of some rural areas. At the end of the past decade, were installed around 50.000m2 of solar heaters.
• Today, are installing around 15.000 photovoltaic systems in Colombia, most of them for the prevision of energy for rural population. Is expected that for the next 30 years the install capacity will be approximately 9MWp.
• In general the solar energy has a potential of 2.000KWh/m2/year. Neverthelss It depends on the region. Guajira and Atlantic coast are the ones with the higher potential.

Other kinds of renewable energies

●      Besides, Colombia has two oceans, which marks an enormous potential for ocean energy production.

Colombia’s wind map

Brazil

• Total Brazil’s installed capacity is of 118,3 GW
• Big hydroelectric power plants (>30MW) represent approximately 67,3% of the installed capacity.
• Biomass – 7,4%,  small hydroelectric power plants (<=30MW) – 3,3% and Wind Energy – 1,0%. TOTAL RENEWABLE: 11,7%. Biomass has this importance specially because of the co-generation plants in ethanol production facilities.
• All other “conventional” sources combined represent 20,8% of total installed capacity (Gas, Oil, Nuclear and Mineral Coal).
• Brazilian consumption is supported also by energy imports, mainly due to the international agreement between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay regarding the energy produced in the Itaipu Hydroelectric plant. The imports represent 6,6% of total energy consumption in Brazil.
• The number of wind energy projects in Brazil is raising fast, and prices can be already competitive against biomass and hydroelectric plants. Besides that, the implementation of PROINFA – (Alternatives Sources of Energy Program) provided more predictability to the projects and encouraged investors to carry out this kind of projects. The program, which guarantees energy sales for 20 years to a state owned company in a given price, also favored the implementation of small hydroelectric plants and biomass plants.
• Regarding solar energy, Brazil hasn’t taken advantage of its favorable conditions. The solar energy is adopted only for heating water consumed in houses, without any kind of specific incentive or subside from the government or any other institution. In this context, the main barrier to investors is the high initial investment needed, that constraints the development of solar projects considering the prices of other sources such as hydro or even thermal.
• In the coming years, brazilian’s energy consumption is expected to rise considerably, and the main projects under development remain focused on big hydroelectric power plants.
• Total Brazil’s installed capacity is of 118,3 GW
• Hydroelectric power plants represent approximately 66,1% of the current consumption.
• Other renewable sources represent 7,9%.
• All other sources combined represent 19,4%.
• Biomass sources represents 6,9% specifically.
• Energy imports represent 6,6%.

Brazil’s wind map