Group items tagged

"Contract confirmed for 11 GW hydropower in Brazil 14 February 2011 Alstom signs a €500 million contract with Norte Energia de Brazil to provide hydropower equipment for the 11,230 MW Belo Monte Dam, Brazil."

"Enercon to supply 57.5MW to Brazil wind farm Jonathan Tilley, Windpower Monthly, 28 February 2011, 10:59am BRAZIL: Enercon will supply wind turbines for a 57.5MW project in Brazil owned by Spanish developer Enerfin."

"IMPSA to supply 180MW to Brazil wind farm Jonathan Tilley, Windpower Monthly, 01 February 2011, 5:07pm BRAZIL: Argentina's IMPSA has received a 180MW order from Brazilian developer Compañía Hidroeléctrica de San Francisco to go to a project in north east Brazil. "

"Alstom signs small hydropower contracts in Brazil 16 February 2011 Two small hydropower plants in Brazil will use Alstom's specialised hydropower plant equipment"

"Brazil is boosting its industrial production, power capacity and enhancing its transmission and distribution infrastructure to meet the needs of its expanding economy as well as for the 2014 FIFA football World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games." ABB will for the first time assemble in one location compact power substations ( "e-houses") as well as manufacture motors, generators, drive systems, measurement equipment and low-voltage products.

"Brazil hands Chinese state-owned company 2GW deal Wu Qi, Windpower Monthly Magazine, 14 December 2010, 11:13am BRAZIL: Chinese state-owned turbine manufacturer Xuji Wind Power is to develop 2GW of wind farms in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. "

General Cable announced that sales in terms of the volume of metals sold increased 6% y-o-y and 2% q-o-q, principally attributed to aluminium-based product shipments for use in aerial transmission projects in Brazil. Discounting the sales for Brazil's aerial transmission projects, growth in shipments to the country still increased by 9% q-o-q and 5% y-o-y. The company benefitted from Brazil and Venezuela's increased spending on electrical infrastructure, Chile's spending on construction and mining activities and also the release of industrial projects in Thailand. Volatility of metals prices contributed to some distributors and copper rod customers deferring purchases, particularly in Zambia and Chile. The company also reported stable demand from North America for electrical infrastructural projects, networking and OEM applications while Europe experienced a sequential rise in shipments of 4%, which was lower than expected due to difficult trading conditions in Southern Europe. However, European sales were buoyed by submarine and land based turnkey cable projects, which accounted for $600M.

Paranapanema, the Brazilian copper smelter and semis fabricator, has started test operations at its new 30,000t/y seamless commercial copper tube plant in Utinga. The plant, which cost BRL100M (US$50M) to build, will initially produce 400-600t/m of commercial tube before ramping up production to reach 2,500t/m within 12 months. The company plans to make copper commercial tube for use in the HVAC sector in Brazil. According to CEO Edson Monteiro, Brazil still imports around 40% of its copper tube from abroad.

It was reported that Brazil's trade protection authority launched an investigation into the dumping of Chinese copper tube, which is equal or less than 108mm, on the Brazilian market. Two of the firms involved in the practice include Shanghai Hailiang Copper and its subsidiary, Zhejiang Hailiang. Both firms are reported to have achieved a turnover of RMB310M in exports to Brazil during the first three quarters of 2011. The China Hailiang Group announced that it will continue to export copper tube to Brazil, but through a subsidiary in Vietnam in order to avoid further anti-dumping allegations.

Sindicel, an association for the Brazilian non-ferrous metals consumption industry, released figures indicating that Brazil's semi-fabricated copper product output was down by 2.6% y-o-y, reaching 396,900t (copper content) in 2011. Wirerod production accounted for 237,000t in 2011, up by 1.2% y-o-y, whereas brass mill output by copper content was 133,500t in 2011, down by 10.2% y-o-y. Capacity increases in both the wirerod and brass mill product sectors resulted in utilisation rates of 47% and 66%, respectively in 2011. These were down on the production capacity utilisation rates of the respective sectors in Brazil in 2010, which were 52% and 77%.

The French governmet will invest 100 million Euros to develop renewable new technologies in Brazil

Brazil could be a big exporter for solar painels as the bigger producer of silicon in the world.

This is something to monitor as it could be a significant development for the region.

Colin, you are right. It could be important for Brazil and the region in the near future.

According to the Sao Paolo based electric conductors and non-ferrous metals association Sindicel, the copper semis industry in Brazil has been challenged by high production costs. As a result of sharp fluctuations, the industry has not been able to fully pass on to clients the rise in raw materials prices. Over the past few months, copper prices advanced by 30% whilst Brazilian copper product prices increased only by 12-13%. Therefore, the copper semis sector is realising tighter margins.