Estruturas flutuantes como alternativas para aproveitar a energia das correntezas na região amazônica.

Abstract

Floating structures are widely used in the Amazon region to develop various activities, including fuel supply, social and health care services, food production, leisure activities, among others. Due to the need to preserve the region and reduce the consumption of fossil fuels to develop a sustainable future, the use of renewable energies using floating systems can be a viable option. The Amazon region has an immense hydrographic basin, with several rivers and their respective tributaries, making this an area with potential to take advantage of hydrokinetic energy. The present work discusses the possibilities of employing naval structures, of floating type, to harnessing energy from currents in the Amazon region. First, a brief review of shipbuilding in the Amazon and the typical floating systems of the region is presented. Subsequently, the most common technologies for harnessing energy from currents are presented. Next, it is presented a simplified concept of a regional floating structure, discussing some alternatives for harnessing renewable energies. Finally, the work discusses the barriers that such a technology can offer during implementation in the Amazon region. The research showed that the use of energy from currents using different types of floating systems can be an option to provide low energy consumption in remote regions without access to the electrical network. However, there is still a necessity of specific regulations to implement such type of technologies.