Port of Rio Grande to Host Brazil’s First Floating Offshore Wind Tower

A partnership between multinational companies, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Portos RS, and Sindienergia, aims to build Brazil’s first floating offshore wind power plant. Named Aura Sul Wind, the pilot project will be installed in deep waters near the Port of Rio Grande.

Scheduled to begin operations in 2030, the project will use Japanese Raijin FOWT technology, which features a wind turbine mounted on a floating concrete foundation. The tower, approximately 200 meters tall with 150-meter blades, will have a generation capacity of 18 megawatts (MW)—enough to supply the Port of Rio Grande itself initially. The structure will be assembled within the port complex and towed to its anchoring site offshore.

“The great advantage of the floating Raijin FOWT system is the ease of foundation construction and installation and the use of concrete—a material that Brazil has mastered technologically and produces on a large scale, reducing time and costs. It also activates a local supply chain and accelerates industrialization of the offshore sector in Brazil,” explains Rodolfo Gonçalves, offshore wind energy specialist, JB Energy advisor, and professor at the University of Tokyo in Japan. He led the technical presentation of the project and envisioned the formation of the consortium.

Why the Rio Grande?

Rio Grande was chosen as the site for the pilot project due to the region’s strong and consistent winds, deep waters close to the coast, and, above all, a well-equipped port capable of assembling and operating the contracted technology. After the pilot phase, the plan is to advance toward the construction of new platforms.

According to Daniela Cardeal, president of Sindienergia-RS, the project reinforces Rio Grande do Sul’s leadership, which in 2006 created Latin America’s largest wind farm in Torres.

“This is a milestone not just for the sector but for the entire southern economy. This project strengthens Rio Grande do Sul’s role as a strategic hub for innovation and energy transition in Brazil,” she emphasized.

Regional Development

The estimated investment for the initial phase of Aura Sul Wind is USD 100 million. The project will be carried out in four stages: feasibility studies, executive design, construction and monitoring, and finally, commercial operation. The initiative is part of the Green Ports Program, which aims to decarbonize logistics processes and increase the use of clean energy in Rio Grande do Sul’s port infrastructure.

“The energy generated will be the fuel of the new economy—and we want that economy to be born here,” reinforces Rodolfo Gonçalves. According to him, the floating platform could be mass-produced, creating jobs and opportunities in shipbuilding, civil construction, and specialized offshore energy services.

As outlined in the memorandum of understanding, the implementation of Aura Sul Wind is also expected to stimulate research centers and universities, as well as attract both domestic and foreign investors interested in developing sustainable projects in Brazil. The consortium has already begun engaging with the public and private sectors to secure funding for the pilot phase.

Source: A Hora do Sul

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