The Minister of MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy), Alexandre Silveira, stated that still not convinced on the need to decree the DST. The statement was made during a press conference late in the afternoon of this Thursday (19) at the headquarters of ONS (National System Operator), in Rio de Janeiro.
The meeting with journalists took place shortly after the extraordinary meeting held by CMSE (Electricity Sector Monitoring Committee), where the ONS presented the first measures of the Contingency Plan for Electrical System Service requested by the MME.
Among the measures presented by the Operator is the adoption of daylight saving time “in the states of Southeast, Central-West and South regions as a measure to reduce costs, guarantee supply and increase reliability of National Interconnected System at the time of maximum nighttime (peak) demand, within a timeframe compatible with its implementation.”
To journalists, Silveira said it is still necessary carry out technical studies before the Government decides whether the daylight saving time will return or not.
"I I'm not convinced yet the need for the decree of DST considering the transversality of this measure. It has been demonstrated that it has a degree of cost-effectiveness and an increase in our reliability at peak energy times, which is between 18pm and 21pm. But, considering that there will be no shortage of energy in Brazil, thanks to the planning we have implemented in this year and a half, I am still not convinced and I want search for other instruments of greater resistance or greater reliability before decreeing [daylight saving time],” he told reporters.
When asked about what other instruments would be used, Silveira mentioned using more water during peak hours. Belo Monte power plant and greater use of the transmission system.
“ONS works with [the transmission line] within a safety safety standard e reliability normal. But it [transmission line] can, at certain times when it is more necessary to be evaluated, work a little more stressed, with a little more vigor. This is a study that the ONS has to do to assess its limit”, explained the minister.
Silveira also said that the return of daylight saving time would bring savings of 2,5 GWh, according to the ONS, which is equivalent to R$ 400 million at peak times. However, this amount, in his opinion, would not be relevant enough to return to daylight saving time. He also pointed out that Brazil is not at risk of power outages, due to planning.
Read also
ONS sees reduction of up to 2,9% in maximum demand with daylight saving time
When asked about the next steps, Silveira said that together with agents of the electricity sector will evaluate in a technical way the resumption of daylight saving time and what about decision will be completed within ten days.
Experts discuss the return of daylight saving time as a strategy for the electricity sector
O Canal Solar spoke with experts to see what the impact of resuming daylight saving time in Brazil would be. To José Wanderley Marangon Lima, CEO of Marangon Consulting & Engineering, Daylight saving time was originally removed due to the shift of the peak of the electrical system to the afternoon period, around 14 pm.
However, he points out that, with the growth of solar DG (distributed generation), this scenario is changing. According to him, “the peak of the system is moving back to 19 pm or 20 pm, which makes the return to daylight saving time viable and interesting”. Marangon also highlights that solar DG helps to reduce demand in the afternoon, which justifies the reassessment of the measure.
“With the increase in average temperature and greater efficiency of lighting due to LED lamps, the SIN's peak power has shifted from 19-20 pm to 14-15 pm over the past decade, as the air conditioning and refrigeration load has increased. This has made the use of daylight saving time for peak travel no longer make sense,” he said.
“The minister omitted that from 2018, the ONS rightly frees the government and society to make the decision regarding the continuation of the daylight saving time as it no longer represented savings for the sector. With the gradual introduction of solar DG close to the load in recent years, this peak began to decrease, improving the network's operating conditions at this time. Once the problem of the afternoon peak by DG was resolved, the peak began to return to 19 pm and consequently the possibility of adopting daylight saving time began to emerge,” added Marangon.
Paulo Edmundo Fonseca Freire, owner of PAIOL Engenharia, also sees advantages in the return of daylight saving time, especially with regard to optimization of renewable energy dispatch. He argues that even with generation capacity exceeding demand, daylight saving time allows for more efficient use of resources.
"At solar panels can make better use of the period of greatest luminosity, complemented by wind power”, says Freire. Furthermore, he highlights that the adjustment in schedule can reduce the need to use hydroelectric power plants, saving water in reservoirs, and reducing the use of thermoelectric plants.
Read also
Hydroelectric plants generated 10% less in August, says CCEE
Freire emphasizes that moving peak hours to times when there is still natural light is an effective way to reduce simultaneous energy consumption at the end of the workday, optimizing the system as a whole.
“It can also be observed that with the worsening of the climate situation in the last 10 years, marked by successive temperature records and extreme events, reassessing the return of daylight saving time is a necessity”, concludes Freire.
Bernardo Marangon, director of Prime Energy, in turn, argues that the adoption of DST could help mitigate the demand ramp in the electrical system, which occurs when solar plants begin to reduce their energy generation, while consumption increases in the early evening.
He explains that daylight saving time would make people return home earlier, bringing forward peak consumption times, which would facilitate the balance between supply and demand.
“The biggest risk Brazil faces is not a lack of energy, but rather meeting the demand for power during peak hours, especially during this transition period between day and night,” warns Bernardo. Therefore, he believes that daylight saving time would be a good measure to improve the efficiency of the system, avoiding the use of thermal power plants, which are more expensive and polluting.
Don't miss any news from the electricity sector! Sign up to our Community by clicking here and get exclusive access to our content!
all the content of Canal Solar is protected by copyright law, and partial or total reproduction of this site in any medium is expressly prohibited. If you are interested in collaborating or reusing part of our material, please contact us by email: redacao@canalsolar.com.br.
An answer
Aren't industries the ones that consume the most energy, among others? Why don't they unlock the connection of more renewable energy to meet demand and reserve water in hydroelectric plants for peak hours?