MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay eyes energy exports from sea wind farms

Stipanicic hoped in the next five years there would be projects operating in the Uruguayan sea

The government of Uruguay is willing to promote the generation of energy for export, by installing wind farms with wind turbines on the maritime platform, it was reported Wednesday in Montevideo.

To achieve this goal, the state-run oil company ANCAP will be calling for bids from international companies so that the initiative entails no financial risk to the Uruguayan coffers.
“We are telling the world that Uruguay is determined to be part of the energy supply in the future,” said ANCAP Chairman Alejandro Stipanicic.

“Today Uruguay, through ANCAP, is setting foot in the future,” said Stipanicic during the launch of the H2u Off Shore program.

Stipanicic made the announcements flanked by Environment Minister Adrián Peña and Deputy Minister Gerardo Amarilla, in addition to Industry, Energy and Mining Undersecretary Walter Verri, National Energy Director Fitzgerald Cantero and Industrial Environmental Unit Coordinator María José González.

“This must be conceived as a state policy in the energy transition,” stressed Stipanicic. The plan “has no risks and does not involve state investment, and Ancap's participation will be subject to what the law says,” he added.

Stipanicic also pointed out that ANCAP would act as a “promoting agent”, because it has the experience, skills, adequate knowledge and information, and because dealing with the main oil companies is relevant in these negotiations.

Industry Minister Omar Paganini recalled in an online intervention from the United Arab Emirates, where Uruguay participates at the Dubai World Expo, that the country has designed a roadmap on green hydrogen.

ANCAP's proposal is based on four items: strong pressure on demand towards decarbonization; stability and international prestige of the country; successful experience in jobs and contracts in the largest oil companies and wind potential in the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone.

The bidding process will require several months, after a period of data storage and consultations with interested companies. The idea is to set up between 8 and 16 blocks between 250 and 500 square kilometres and 20 meters deep in the territorial sea and up to 50 meters in the exclusive economic zone.

Stipanicic added that he hoped that in the next five years there would be projects operating in the Uruguayan sea.