Apr 1, 2013

• Inova Energia has resources for smart grids, solar energy, wind power, hybrid vehicles and vehicle energy efficiency

On April 1, the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) and the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP) signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement to create the Support Plan for Technological Innovation in the Electric Sector- Inova Energia.

The budget will be R$ 3 billion, of which R$ 600 million will come from Aneel, R$ 1.2 billion from the BNDES and R$ 1.2 billion from Finep. The plan was released during the Forum of the Brazilian Association of Electrical and Electronics Industry (Abinee Tec 2013), held in São Paulo.

The joint effort of the three agencies will provide a more extensive coordination to government efforts aimed at fostering innovation and a better integration of support instruments for research, development and innovation available to the energy sector, one of the key areas for growth in Brazil. The selected companies will have the opportunity to access credit with special conditions, with economic subsidies and non-reimbursable financing for research conducted at Institutes of Science and Technology (ICTs), among other instruments.

The plan is aimed at promoting and selecting business plans that include: research, development, engineering and technological absorption; production and trade of goods; as well as innovative processes and services.

With this, Inova Energia will contribute to developing Brazilian companies and technology in the production chain of smart grids, solar energy and wind power, hybrid vehicles and vehicle energy efficiency.

Lines – The presented business plans should be related to production chains in the three following areas:
Line 1: Smart grids and Ultra high-voltage transmission (UAT);
Line 2: Solar energy and wind power generation:
Line 3: hybrid vehicles and Vehicle energy efficiency

Target audience – Those eligible to take part in the selection process include Brazilian companies that seek to develop innovation activities related to the lines, as well as to produce and trade products and services as a result of this activity.

To enable the development of complete solutions within the scope of Inova Energia’s lines, partnerships between companies as well as between companies and ICTs will be encouraged.

Such partnerships will have a leading company, which must necessarily be an independent company or a member of a business group with gross operating revenue greater than or equal to R$ 16 million, or net equity greater than or equal to R$ 4 million in the last financial year.

Exclusively in Line 1, "Smart Grids", companies that posted gross operating revenue between R$ 5 million and R$ 16 million in the last financial year may present business plans, provided that they also submit a letter of interest issued by the concessionaire of the electric power sector.

Further details can be found in Inova Energia call-to-bid released on April 1 and available here.