Projects prepared at the request of those interested in installing photovoltaic or bio digestor solar energy units reach an amount of R$ 120 million. Producers seeking RenovaPR can also benefit from the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense, through which the State absorbs 100% of the interest rate on financing.
The Paraná Rural Energy Renewable Program (RenovaPR) already has 656 projects prepared at the request of those interested in installing photovoltaic or bio digestor solar energy units, amounting to R$ 120 million. Of these, 244 technical projects are already in banks for financing, which represents R$43,984,617.96.
In approximately two months after the launch, at least 5,000 rural producers have already sought out the municipal offices of the Rural Development Institute of Paraná-Iapar-Emater (IDR-Paraná) in search of information.
In addition to providing services to farmers, IDR-Paraná launched public call notices for those interested in providing services for solar energy and biogas in rural environments. Until now, the Notice 001/2021, for solar energy integrators, has 346 registered companies. Of these, 321 have already gone through the entire process and are approved to serve rural producers in projects. Notice 002/2021, for the biogas/biomethane modality, has so far 13 registered companies and nine already approved.
The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Supply, Norberto Ortigara, highlighted that Paraná is providing an opportunity for producers to show the world sustainability and innovation capacity to ensure more income on their properties.
“Energy is an increasingly relevant input in agricultural processes, representing a good part of the costs,” he said. “Own generation, from renewable sources, helps to reduce costs, in addition to giving more quality to energy, due to the stability of supply. Therefore, the farmer needs to be very aware of the importance of this wealth.”
Interested producers need to go to the municipal unit of IDR-Paraná closest to their property. It is there that he expresses his desire to join the program and chooses, among those approved, who best meets his objectives. If the producer intends to take advantage of the benefits of the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense, through which the State assumes the full payment of the interest rate, the producer must also seek a financial agent accredited to this program.
SUSTAINABILITY – According to the coordinator of RenovaPR, Herlon Goelzer de Almeida, from IDR-Paraná, the state currently has around 2,300 rural productive units generating its energy. Of these, 2,100 were from the solar photovoltaic system and 200 were from biodigesters.
“The RenovaPR program set a target of 100 thousand production units generating their energy by 2030”, stated Almeida. IBGE estimates the number of rural establishments in the state at 305,000.
For him, the incentive to renewable energy by the government and the growing demand by producers have at least two important variables. One of them is the weight that electricity has on the cost of production in rural areas.
“There is a presidential decree establishing that by 2023 rural energy will lose the subsidy granted since 1930, which will further raise the tax. So, the program gains more importance as an aid in reducing the cost of production”, argued the coordinator of RenovaPR. "Furthermore, the State chose to replace the Tarifa Rural Noturna program with the more lasting and rational measure of stimulating its production of renewable energy."
According to Almeida, as relevant as the cost factor is the State's participation in the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), proposed by the United Nations. ODS 7 predicts that, by 2030, universal, reliable, modern and affordable access to energy will be ensured. In addition, it proposes to substantially increase the share of renewable energies in the global energy matrix.
LESS SPENDING – In Cafelândia, in the West, the first contract signed by RenovaPR will benefit the 3.5-acre property that Armindo Zuck has with his son Anderson in the Campina district. There, they are dedicated to poultry and dairy cattle raising, with consumption ranging from 6,000 kilowatts/month to up to 14,000, depending on the temperature and use of the equipment.
This requires the payment of around R$ 4,500 to R$ 5,500 per month. “Sometimes, what would be left over for us goes all-in energy, it's the higher cost of ownership,” Anderson said. But this expense has its days numbered. The structures that will receive 178 photovoltaic panels are being assembled and the expectation is that in October, with the 9,500 kilowatts that will be generated, the bill will be minimal.
It was during a meeting of the Municipal Development Council that the Zuck family learned about the RenovaPR and Banco do Agricultor Paranaense programs and the possibility of financing the installation of the plates and the State paying 100% of the interest rate. "One of the great attractions that led to the investment at this time was the issue of the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense, which helped with the interest rate of the enterprise," he said.
In Francisco Beltrão, in the Southwest, where rural landowners have sought a lot of information and many have already decided on renewable energy, the Gandolfi family should reduce the bill in October. On the property, 1,400 liters/day of milk is produced and 20,400 birds are kept in housing.
“We decided to change because of the energy, which has been increasing more and more,” said Joélcio Marcos Gandolfi, who shares the work with his father, Silvestre. He highlighted that the family had the entire process of conversion underway and adjusted, which would pay 3% interest, when they were informed about the Banco do Agricultor Paranaense.
“We wrote off the process, went to the IDR-Paraná, did the project there, and forwarded it to the bank, which has already released the financing with zero interest”, he said.
According to the producer, the energy bill reached up to R$ 2 thousand. “And they are saying that shortly there will be less and less water and energy will become more and more expensive”, he pointed out.
Now, the family hopes that the 68 plates, with a power of 3800 kilowatts, will guarantee consumption and more than enough. The R$ 132,000 investment must be paid down over the next ten years. “You have ten years to pay off the loan, without interest, though. It is a good deal; you cannot miss this chance.”, said Joélcio.