CompositesWorld

MAR 2017

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NEWS 37 CompositesWorld.com Aeris Energy, Brazil will be, when it opens this year, the second-largest dam in Brazil and the third largest in the world. Still, Belo Monte also is far from Brazil's major cities, which are located primarily on its east coast. e inherent problem of hydropower is its dependence on water. When there's a drought, water flow and energy generation are reduced. e country, therefore, is turning to other resources to help stabilize its electrical energy supply. ese include lique- fied natural gas, solar and wind power. Wind holds an advantage: During a drought, the generally stiff winds in the northeast region are actually stronger, which makes wind energy complementary to hydropower. Further, the wind turbine manufacturing supply chain in Brazil is mature: e infrastructure and manufacturers are already in place to meet the needs of wind farm development. is is important because Brazil's state-run national bank, National Development Bank (BNDES), which finances much of the country's wind farm development, stipulates that wind farms funded by BNDES in Brazil must use wind turbines manufactured in Brazil. is demand is designed, of course, to drive internal economic development and job creation, which it has: e Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) reports that Brazilian wind energy capacity increased from only 29 MW in 2005 to 8.7 GW by year end 2015, ranking it 10 th in the world in total installed wind energy capacity. Brazil installed 2.75 GW of wind energy in 2015 alone. Its wind energy sector now employs more than 41,000 people. Aeris Energy begins is demand for locally manufactured wind turbine components drove the creation of Aeris Energy. Any wind turbine manufacturer, if it wants to sell turbines into Brazil, must either establish a facility in Brazil, or find a supplier established in Brazil. Recognizing this opportunity, around 2009, were five relatively young executives who worked for several years in the Brazilian aerospace sector. Each was educated in composite materials, and each had a deep understanding of the technologies and processes required for composites manufacturing. "e wind industry itself caught our attention," says Bruno Lolli, one of the executives and currently planning and process management director at Aeris. "e opportunity to work with clean energy was very interesting to us. It was very important." Beginning in late 2009 and into early 2010, the five men began to outline the parameters of what would become Aeris Energy. Meeting early in the morning before work at their then-current jobs, and often in the evening after work, they became steadily convinced that their plan had merit. ey only lacked what every entrepreneur desperately needs: money. Fortunately, in early 2010, they connected with an investor who had just sold a company and was looking to put his money to work in the renewable energy sector. Lolli remembers well the investor's response when they presented their business plan: "He said, 'Are you presenting this business plan for other potential FIG. 1 Brazil's wind energy leader Aeris Energy was formed in 2010 to manufacture wind turbine blades primarily for the Brazilian wind energy market, which is centered in the northeast part of the country. The company's easy access to one of Brazil's largest ports means that Aeris also can serve overseas markets. Source (both photos) | Wellington Fernandes FIG. 2 Workforce investment pays dividends Aeris workers prepare a wind blade for infusion in one of the company's several assembly halls. CearĂ¡ state, where Aeris is located, offers a low-cost labor force, but Aeris has invested signifi- cantly in recruitment and training to help retain a stable and capable employee base. Source | Aeris Energy

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