Auction sells only oil-generated electricity

While the world debates ways to fight global warming, Brazil, with huge hydroelectric potential and a candidate to lead world biofuels production (ethanol, biodiesel and biomass), strongly resumes investments in thermoelectric generation based on fuel oil, much more polluting than the so-called renewable energy sources. At least this was the scenario indicated by the fourth new energy auction (for supplies beginning in 2010), held yesterday via the internet and negotiating only the energy of thermoelectrics powered by the petroleum-based fuel.
A total 1,304 megawatts (MW) were contracted in 15-year contracts by 36 distributors, equivalent to 1,781.8 MW of installed potential. The value was R$23.092 billion (US$12.15 billion). Before the auction, the Electrical Energy Marketing Chamber (CCEE) indicated the participation of 33 generators (three hydroelectric and 30 thermoelectric, the latter including 21 powered by diesel or fuel oil, four natural gas and five biomass, co-generated by sugar-and-alcohol producers from sugarcane trash). However, the trading floor yesterday, in little more than two hours of activity, negotiated the output of only 12 thermal plants, all burning fuel oil.

Gazeta Mercantil