Energy transmission infrastructure
Business Model Description
Provide project financing for large-scale energy transmission
Expected Impact
Expand transmission capacity to provide electricity to more Brazilians and enhance energy efficiency by reducing excess carbon emissions
How is this information gathered?
Investment opportunities with potential to contribute to sustainable development are based on country-level SDG Investor Maps.
Disclaimer
UNDP, the Private Finance for the SDGs, and their affiliates (collectively “UNDP”) do not seek or solicit investment for programmes, projects, or opportunities described on this site (collectively “Programmes”) or any other Programmes, and nothing on this page should constitute a solicitation for investment. The actors listed on this site are not partners of UNDP, and their inclusion should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by UNDP for any relationship or investment.
The descriptions on this page are provided for informational purposes only. Only companies and enterprises that appear under the case study tab have been validated and vetted through UNDP programmes such as the Growth Stage Impact Ventures (GSIV), Business Call to Action (BCtA), or through other UN agencies. Even then, under no circumstances should their appearance on this website be construed as an endorsement for any relationship or investment. UNDP assumes no liability for investment losses directly or indirectly resulting from recommendations made, implied, or inferred by its research. Likewise, UNDP assumes no claim to investment gains directly or indirectly resulting from trading profits, investment management, or advisory fees obtained by following investment recommendations made, implied, or inferred by its research.
Investment involves risk, and all investments should be made with the supervision of a professional investment manager or advisor. The materials on the website are not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any investment, security, or commodity, nor shall any security be offered or sold to any person, in any jurisdiction in which such offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
Country & Regions
- Brazil: Bahia
- Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte
Sector Classification
Infrastructure
Development need
Brazil is held back by chronic underinvestment in infrastructure spending only 2.5% of GDP (2) This leads to critical structural inefficiencies: deficient existing transmission lines are responsible for a 20% energy loss (5); lack of investment in wastewater treatment is responsible for epidemics in over 1/3 of Brazilian households (6)
Policy priority
Infrastructure development is a top priority for the new administration, who has pledged to invest nearly US$ 50 billion in infrastructure in 2019 alone (vs. e.g., US$ 7 billion in 2018) (3) (4)
Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
Poor access to core infrastructure
services forces women to allocate a large fraction of their
available time to family chores (7)
Investment opportunities introduction
New administration's infrastructure development pledge means closer collaboration with private investors (e.g., continuity of PPI program and concessions timeline from past to current administration)
Key bottlenecks introduction
Licensing, funding for land acquisitions, capital requirements
Utilities
Development need
Blackouts and power outages have increased in frequency (8) across a country with one of the highest urbanization rates. The absence of effective energy transmission infrastructure keeps energy projects stalled e.g., over 10% of wind farms (1) Over 100M Brazilians have no access to wastewater management services and over 35M have no access to clean water (9)
Electric Utilities and Power Generators
Pipeline Opportunity
Energy transmission infrastructure
Provide project financing for large-scale energy transmission
Business Case
Market Size and Environment
Auctioning of 52,000 km of transmission lines projected until 2022. (12)
Between 2000-2013, over 55 thousand kilometers of transmission lines were auctioned, and another 52K kilometers are projected through 2022. The top transmission lines projects have generated an annual revenue of US$ ~100 thousand per kilometer of line (12)
Indicative Return
5% - 10%
A market assessment showed an average IRR for studied projects of ~8% (12)
Investment Timeframe
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Construction takes an average of 1-4 years, but annual revenue is paid from year 1 since the concession contract establishes a fixed annual revenue paid by the energy producer (12)
Environmental regulations may take long to get, as well as to get environmental safety checks
Ticket Size
> USD 10 million
Market Risks & Scale Obstacles
Capital - Requires Subsidy
Market - Highly Regulated
Capital - CapEx Intensive
Impact Case
Sustainable Development Need
Brazil's Northeast concentrates the largest transmission need. For instance, nearly 15% of windfarm projects in the Northeast have been paused due to transmission needs (10) (11) (13).
Large hydroelectric plants are the main energy suppliers to South and Southeastern consumers and have historically showcased large transmission deficiencies (12)
In addition to a lack of transmission capacity, deficient existing transmission lines are responsible for a 20% energy loss (10) The absence of effective energy transmission infrastructure keeps energy projects stalled e.g., over 10% of wind farms (1)
Gender & Marginalisation
"Poor access to core infrastructure services forces women to allocate a large fraction of their available time to family chores (7) "
Expected Development Outcome
Guarantee sufficient transmission capacity for energy generation to connect to the national grid and efficiently reach consumers and markets
Enhance energy efficiency and reduce excess carbon emissions by ensuring reliability of supply
Gender & Marginalisation
Improved access to infrastructure services may free women’s time in such a way that they could devote more time to building their own human capital (7)
Primary SDGs addressed
7.1.1 Proportion of population with access to electricity
7.3.1 Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP
100 % (2018) (18)
4.11 Megajoules per Constant 2011 Purchasing Power Parity GDP (2017) (19)
100%
Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency (19)
Secondary SDGs addressed
Directly impacted stakeholders
People
Indirectly impacted stakeholders
Planet
Corporates
Outcome Risks
While the model is based on good evidence, external factors such as delays in securing environmental licenses may affect project viability and impact
Since transmission lines need to go through large amounts of land, projects have potential for causing a loss in biodiversity, destruction of natural habitats and rural landscapes (12)
Impact Risks
External risk - due to factors such as delays in securing environmental licences disrupting ability to deliver intended impact
Unexpected impact risk: negative risk on environment and biodiversity due to transmission line constructions
Impact Classification
What
Expanded transmission capacity could help provide electricity to more Brazilians and connect more electricity production plants to the grid
Who
Energy generating companies and energy consumers are underserved by the lack of transmission capacity
Risk
While the model is based on good evidence, external factors such as delays in securing environmental licenses may affect project viability and impact
Impact Thesis
Expand transmission capacity to provide electricity to more Brazilians and enhance energy efficiency by reducing excess carbon emissions
Enabling Environment
Policy Environment
Energy transmission is a renewed policy priority following Eletrosul's inability to complete a series of transmission projects mainly in Rio Grande do Sul. Projects for over 7K kilometers will be auctioned this year (14)
Financial Environment
Financial incentives: Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) finances up to 80% of the project. Concessions are for 14 years (13)
Regulatory Environment
(Concession contracts): establish a fixed annual revenue for the transmission operation. Aneel is the promoter of the auction, and bids are for 35 years (12)
Marketplace Participants
Private Sector
Electrobras Eletronorte, Eletrobras Fumas, Eletrobras Fumas, Eletrobras Chesf, Eletrobras Eletrosul, State Grid Corporation of China, CYMI, Abengoa, TAESA, ISA, Alupar (12)
Government
Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL), Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
Target Locations
Brazil: Bahia
Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte
References
- (1) Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2019, https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/#/BRA
- (2) World Bank, 2019, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/06/19/lifelines-for-better-development?cid=ECR_LI_worldbank_EN_EXT
- (3) Globo, 2019, https://g1.globo.com/economia/noticia/2019/02/10/investimento-do-governo-em-infraestrutura-no-ano-passado-e-o-menor-em-dez-anos.ghtml
- (4) Correio Braziliense, 2018, https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/economia/2018/11/02/internas_economia,717118/novo-governo-planeja-viabilizar-investimentos-e-r-180-bi-na-infraestr.shtml
- (5) OECO, 2012, https://www.oeco.org.br/noticias/26650-brasil-perde-20-de-energia-nas-linhas-de-transmissao/
- (6) Correio da Bahia, 2018, https://www.correio24horas.com.br/noticia/nid/mais-de-50-dos-municipios-baianos-tem-problemas-de-saude-por-falta-de-saneamento/
- (7) Agénor, Pierre-Richard, and Otaviano Canuto. 2013. “Gender Equality and Economic Growth in Brazil.” The World Bank, https://ems.gtc.ox.ac.uk/sites/ems.gtc.ox.ac.uk/files/EP109.pdf
- (8) Associação Nacional dos Consumidores de Energia, 2016, http://www.anacebrasil.org.br/noticias/grandes-apagoes-viram-rotina-no-brasil/
- (9) BNDES, 2018, https://web.bndes.gov.br/bib/jspui/bitstream/1408/16040/3/PRLiv214078_Visao_2035_compl_P.pdf
- (10) Globo, 2016, http://g1.globo.com/bom-dia-brasil/noticia/2016/01/por-falta-de-linhas-de-transmissao-13-usinas-eolicas-estao-paradas-no-ne.html
- (11) BBC, 2013, https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/noticias/2013/06/130604_energia_eolica_mdb
- (12) Upside Finance, 2014, http://upsidefinance.com.br/cms/uploads/news/id54/Brazilian%20Electrical%20Power%20Sector.pdf
- (13) Instituto Acende, 2018, http://www.acendebrasil.com.br/media/estudos/2017_WhitePaper_20_FinanciamentoSetorEletrico.pdf
- (14) Jornal do Comércio, 2018, https://www.jornaldocomercio.com_conteudo/especiais/perspectivas_2019/2018/12/660737-obras-bilionarias-chegam-a-area-de-transmissao.html
- (15) Reuters, 2016, https://br.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idBRKCN12622B
- (16) Abesco, 2015, http://www.abesco.com.br/novidade/capacidade-de-transmissao-de-energia-pode-se-esgotar-em-2019/
- (17) OECO, 2012, https://www.oeco.org.br/noticias/26650-brasil-perde-20-de-energia-nas-linhas-de-transmissao/
- (18) Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report. “Brazil | Tracking SDG 7.” https://trackingsdg7.esmap.org/country/brazil.
- (19) United Nations Global SDG Database. “SDG Indicators.” https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/database/.
- (20) Elecnor. “Electricity Transmission Systems in Brazil | Elecnor.Com.” https://www.elecnor.com/projects/electricity-transmission-systems-in-brazil.
- (21) “Sterlite Power Is about to Finish Its First Power Transmission Project in Brazil 2 Years in Advance.” 2019. Sterlite Power. January 28, 2019. https://www.sterlitepower.com/br/news/detail/sterlite-power-about-finish-its-first-power-transmission-project-brazil-2-years-advance.