Voltalia signs solar contract with Copel

“Thanks to this contract Voltalia reaches 1.9 GW of projects developed successfully in our Serra Branca cluster. This new success highlights the quality of our wind-and-solar cluster which attracts local utilities as well as international companies who want to source clean energy. With 0.5 GW of further potential in Serra Branca and the development of our new 1 GW Canudos cluster, together with other smaller sites, we are a leading renewable power producer in Brazil. I am very proud of the Voltalia teams and thank them for their engagement, especially in the present context” commented Sébastien Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of Voltalia.

Voltalia will build a 260 MW solar plant (SSM 3 to 6) and provide Copel with electricity through a 14-year contract, starting 2023. The SSM 3 to 6 projects are expected to be commissioned in the first half of 2022 ahead of the start of the long-term power sales agreements, with anticipated production sold under a short-term contract already secured with Copel.

Some of the construction works should take place at the same time as the SSM 1&2 solar farm. By pooling resources for SSM 1 to 6 Voltalia will achieve significant economies of scale at all stages, with ultimately the same O&M team servicing both solar plants.

A solid partner, well-known to Voltalia Copel is one of Brazil’s leading utilities, serving 4.7 million customer units in 395 municipalities and 1113 localities (districts, villas and villages). A long-term partner of Voltalia’s, with a minority stake in Voltalia’s SMG wind farm (108 MW) since 2015, Copel was more recently one of the buyers behind the 238 MW contract signed for the SSM1&2 solar farms. Copel is listed in São Paulo, New York and Madrid and its main shareholder is the State of Paraná.

Solar, a competitive source of energy

Solar now represents 0.5 GW in Voltalia’s 2.4 GW Serra Branca site, the world’s biggest wind-and-solar cluster.

The two sources of power are complementary since wind is blowing mainly during the night at Serra Branca.

This new contract demonstrates the attractiveness and competitiveness of solar which cost has gone down considerably: -82% between 2010 and 2019 (source IRENA).

As of today, solar energy represents 20% of Voltalia’s total installed capacity. The Company intends to further grow this technology in its three main regions, with an additional 1 GW of solar capacity already signed.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry read our latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global’s Summer 2020 issue

The Summer issue of Energy Global provides in-depth technical articles covering technological advancements and future outlooks in the renewables sector, from companies including Sulzer, Power Ledger, JinkoSolar, Trelleborg Applied Technologies, Clir Renewables, and many more. The issue covers a spectrum of clean energies, from wind to hydrogen to solar to biofuels.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/15092020/voltalia-signs-solar-contract-with-copel/