Posters

Abstract

Wind energy development has been motivated by the awareness and growing concern regarding greenhouse gas emissions and energy security. Despite the global pandemic scenario, wind energy obtained 93.6 GW of installed capacity in 2021, demonstrating the resilience of this industry. Considering the recovery of the economy, it is expected that 557 GW of installed capacity will be added in the next 5 years (GWEC, 2022; REN21, 2021). Following the sector's growth, new technologies have been developed, whether related to turbine technology, as well as in the areas of installation, monitoring, and management. Due to the high cost related to wind projects, especially offshore, the search for the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) reduction has received great focus in the research and development sector. The development of new technologies for larger turbines with greater nominal potential allows the reduction of LCOE for both onshore projects, which have been reduced by more than 60% in the last decade, reaching $0.04/kWh in 2020, and offshore, reaching $0.08/kWh. Digitization and artificial intelligence (AI) are contributing to the reduction of LCOE by monitoring and predicting failures, correcting equipment failures in remote or challenging environments through robots, among others (GWEC, 2022). However, positive and negative socioeconomic impacts can be promoted by these new technologies relying on the strategic approach used. In this context, the question of the research was raised: what are the socioeconomic impacts promoted by the new technologies?. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify what would be the socioeconomic impacts caused by the development of the wind sector, considering the introduction of digitalization, and how companies are adapting to this market change. Our findings indicate positive and negative impacts and outlines best practices utilized by companies to address these impacts.