Enel Green Power has begun operation at the 611 MW Arinos Solar Complex in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The facility, located in the southern state, was completed at a cost of US$473.6 million. It features over one million photovoltaic (PV) modules. This is the first solar facility that Enel Green Power SpA has constructed in the region. Furthermore, the facility has an energy substation that was constructed alongside the project. It should have the capacity to generate 1.4 TWh each year. This is enough electricity to meet the demand of nearly 680,000 local homes.
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Who benefits from the Arinos Solar Complex
Companies such as Newave Energia and Gerdau Next are expected to benefit from the Arinos Solar Complex. What’s more, the facility equates to 7% of Gerdau’s annual energy consumption in Brazil based on 2022 production figures. It will bring a significant reduction of 22,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually for the company. Now that the project has been completed, 30 per cent of the renewable energy output will be channeled towards Gerdau’s steel production within Brazil. Additionally, over 4,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities were created during the construction of the project.
Project Overview
Location: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Project Capacity: 611 MW
Developers: Enel Green Power
Construction timeline: 2024-2025
Project Investors: Newave Energia, Gerdau Next
“Gerdau already maintains one of the lowest global averages of greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring our commitment to further mitigate our carbon footprint,” said Gustavo Werneck, CEO of Gerdau.
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More on Enel Green Power in Brazil
Enel Green Power now has a total of 6.6 GW installed capacity in Brazil. Over 3.5 GW of this figure comes from wind energy, 1.3 GW from hydropower and 1.8 GW from solar.
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