Statkraft inaugurates Brazilian wind farm

"Statkraft views Brazil as an exciting market with great potential and we have high ambitions. We have over time built a strong organisation, profitable operations and a considerable pipeline which gives us the necessary platform to further develop and operate renewables within several technologies. In addition, we have developed a market team in Brazil, positioning us well to understand the market complexity and the customer needs. We build on the hydropower expertise from Norway, while at the same time we apply insights from Brazil to other markets in which we operate. It’s a win-win," said Ingeborg Dårflot, Executive Vice President for Statkraft’s international business.

Expansive growth in Brazil in 2024

The Ventos de Santa Eugênia wind complex adds 519 MW to Statkraft’s capacity in Brazil. Including the recent acquisitions, assets under construction and other projects in the pipeline coming online, Statkraft will have increased its total generation capacity in Brazil fivefold in less than a year. In 2024, the company expects to have more than 2200 MW of generation capacity in hydropower, solar, wind and battery technologies in the country.

"We are proud to be among the first companies to develop a hybrid renewable energy project to optimise energy production. This concept ensures better utilisation of shared infrastructure between solar and wind technologies and contributes to energy security through a more stable and balanced energy generation," commented Fernando de Lapuerta, Country Manager for Statkraft Brazil.

Located in Uibaí and Ibipeba, in the Bahia region, the wind complex spans a comprehensive area of 489 ha. The complex consists of 14 wind farms with 91 wind turbines, each with a generation capacity of 5.7 MW. Renewable energy production should reach 2300 GWh per year, enough to supply 1.17 million Brazilian households. At peak, the project development employed almost 2000 workers.

Construction of the Ventos de Santa Eugênia hybrid solar farm will start later this year. Using battery technology, the energy complex will have a combined capacity of 682 MW. Operations are planned in 2025.

"Good dialogue with the local communities located near the power plant and a firm determination to minimise environmental impacts has been a focus for us when developing this energy complex. We have implemented a wide range of social programs in the area and as a result, we have been able to measure a significant income increase in the local population. This shows that renewable projects can have relevant positive impacts locally, as well as contributing to achieving the national goals of increasing renewables," said Lapuerta.

 

 

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

Energy Global's Winter 2023 issue

The Winter 2023 issue of Energy Global hosts an array of technical articles weather analysis, geothermal solutions, energy storage technology, and more. This issue also features a regional report looking at the future of renewables in North America, and a report from Théodore Reed-Martin, Editorial Assistant, Energy Global, on how Iceland utilises its unique geology for renewable energy.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/08022024/statkraft-inaugurates-brazilian-wind-farm/