Evidence of such initiative was the recent supply of electrical and mechanical equipment for a rice husk thermal power plant in the city of São Sepé, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This supply included a 10,000 kVA, 13,800V, 1800-rpm, high efficiency S Line WEG generator, a TGM TMC10000 turbine and TGM RTS 560 gearbox.

Part of the biomass (rice husk) available in that agricultural region used to be a problem for the rice farmers there, and to find the right destination for the waste has been a major challenge. With that in mind, the Sepé thermoelectric plant (UTE), specialized in power generation and strategically located in São Sepé, has been using rice husks as biomass, a highly available residue in that region due to large amount of rice processing plants. 

Within the power generation process, the rice husk initially serves as fuel to produce steam. This steam feeds to turbine, which, in turn, drives the gearbox and the generator for electric power generation. The generated energy is sold to the National Electric Energy Utility (ANEEL), farmers can give correct destination to rice husk and still produce mixed lime with the burned leftovers. 

This innovative project consolidates WEG's role as a market leader in the supply of equipment for biomass thermal power plants, generating renewable energy and contributing with correct disposal of waste.