Development of Wind Energy Converters to Power Microwave Relay Stations Under Brazilian Meteorological Conditions

Abstract

As oil przices gn higher, Brazilian energetic problems ir.creaue due to a daily oil consumption of about I million banm1u, of which 05% Is imported. The proportion of the differont power source-s uader use in Brazil iu ctupared in Fi .1. A astionwide effort is beinS made aiming to find subs titucen for-oil dorivates in their difforent uses, includint, the euergy supply to the vast Brasilian telecommunica tiona network. Brazil's sala enlergetic reaouce consists of a great hydroelectric potencial, itc assessed part being enough to comply with the sntion's electric energy demand until year 2000 (Fig.2). Mineral coal, fairly abundant though of poor quality, Is an offective alternative, ainly for hoet generation. ths nattou'a oil produetion, an the other bAnd, sight supply 40% of the derand in 1987. Firwood and sugar-cane thresh are other effective alternatives. As nearly all of its territory is steadily sun-dren ched, Brasil might use this as an important energetic hand'cap. It sa beueed, for instatce, for the intensive agricultural production of alternative fuels (methanol, atbmaol); for hot water end steam production through collec tora: for large scale generation of electricity (solar fars and other methods), through direct conrersion to alectric energy by mekne of photocell. ar tidirectly tbroueit the utilizaticn of the winds. Tn the tsleconmunications field the main means for re ducing the use of oil are the intensive use of renewable fuel3, hydroelectric energy (supplied to the stations by the commercial networks), direct conversion of solar energy (by means of photocalls) and wind energy (aerogenerators).