Solar Parks in Brazil
According to the National Electric Energy Agency, known as Aneel, there are 317 solar parks operating in Brazil and 23 under construction. In this article we will learn more about the main solar parks in Brazil.
Brazil is a tropical country with high levels of sunshine, but it still does not explore solar energy as much as it could. The participation of solar energy in the total energy consumed in the country is very small, representing about 0.01%.
Between the solar parks in operation, there are 295 that are registered as mini and micro generators, which means that the energy is produced by the own consumer. In Brazil it is possible to generate solar energy and transfer its production to the electricity distribution network.
The other 22 solar parks provide energy to the local electricity network and is sold to consumers such as large companies and shopping malls, through auctions.
Here are some of the largest solar parks in Brazil:
Eneva
The Eneva solar park, previously known as MPX Solar, was built and operated by the company MPX, part of the EBX Group owned by Eike Batista. The name has changed due to the participation of the German group E.ON. The German group holds 36,2% control of Eneva in partnership with the businessman Eike Batista.
The solar park was inaugurated in August 2011 and was the first solar photovoltaic power plant to generate electricity on a commercial scale in Brazil. Eneva is located in the city of Tauá, in the Northeast region and has an initial capacity to generate 1 MWp, supplying 1 500 homes. According to Aneel, the plant can generate up to 5 MW when operating at its full capacity.
Tanquinho
TheCompanhia Paulista de Força e Luz, with support from the State University of Campinas inaugurated the solar park Tanquinho in Campinas, in the state of São Paulo in 2013. Tanquinho has capacity to produce 1.1 MWp per year, enough to supply 657 homes with an average consumption of 200 kWh per month.
With an investment of BRL 13.8 million, Tanquinho was the first park to use photovoltaic solar panels in São Paulo. The project was approved by Aneel, the construction period lasted only four months whilst the study phase lasted eight months.
Cidade Azul
The solar park Cidade Azul, also known as Nova Aurora, is the largest solar park in Brazil and is located in the city of Tubarão, in the Southern region. It was inaugurated in August 2014 by the company Tractebel Energia and its investment was BRL 30 million. Its maximum capacity is 3 MWp, supplying 2 500 homes per year. Cidade Azul is the fourth solar power plant in the country, which is able to generate energy even with lower levels of sunlight.
The energy generated by the 19 424 panels of Cidade Azul across an area of 10 hectares, is already used by consumers using the country's power grid. The city of Tubarão was chosen for its proximity to the Thermoelectric Complex Jorge Lacerda, which is the largest thermoelectric complex in the country.
Pituaçu Solar
The Stadium Roberto Santos, also known as Pituaçu, was the first stadium in Latin America to generate and use solar energy. The Solar Pituaçu System is located in the state of Bahia. The solar power generated and connected to the distribution grid is equivalent to 630 MWh per year, capable of powering 525 homes. The project cost over BRL 5.5 million and was executed by Coelba, who are an electricity distributor in the State of Bahia.
Solar Alto do Rodrigues
The Photovoltaic Solar Park Alto do Rodrigues provides 1.1 MW of electricity to the overall electricity distribution grid and has an ability to provide electricity for 8 000 homes. It is expected that the solar park can generate 1.65 GWh per year, avoiding the emission of 380 tons of carbon. The total cost of the plant was approximately BRL 20 million. This solar park is located in Alto do Rodrigues, in Rio Grande do Norte, a state in the Northeast region of Brazil.
Megawatt Solar
Megawatt Solar is a solar park integrated with a public building and located in Florianópolis, in Southern Brazil. The park was developed by the company Eletrobras Eletrosul, with technical support from the Federal University of Santa Catarina and the Institute for Alternative Energy Development in Latin America. Megawatt Solar provides a power capacity of 1 MWp.
The park produces enough energy to serve more than 1800 people, the equivalent to 540 homes. There are 4200 solar modules installed on the roof of the headquarters of Eletrosul and on the parking area of 10 000 m².
New Solar Parks Projects
Last year the government held a public auction to purchase solar energy. 119 new projects were presented, but only 31 were accepted, which altogether have the capacity to generate enough energy to power more than 900,000 homes. Among the solar parks under construction we can highlight two that have high production capacity.
Enel Green Power
The Italian multinational Enel Green Power signed a contract with the State of Pernambuco for the implementation of a solar park with a capacity to produce 11 MW. It is the first contract for the production of solar energy on a commercial scale, in other words, not being an experimental project. The investment will be BRL 43.8 million. The park will be located in Recife, in the Northeast of Brazil.
Kwara Solar Russas I
The project to install a solar park in the city of Russas, also located in the Northeastern Region, is expected to produce 20 times more solar energy than all the solar parks in Brazil. The plant will generate 10 MW immediately, with an estimated additional 10 MW in the first phase, benefiting more than 200,000 inhabitants. The initial investment is BRL 50 million and the perspective is that the solar park will grow to produce up to 100 MW.