Enel begins building out 133 MW expansion to Brazil solar park

Enel Green Power's Brazilian subsidiary, Enel Green Power Brasil Participacoes (EGPB), has started work on the €100m ($110m), 133 MW expansion of its Sao Goncalo solar park. The plant is South America's biggest under construction and the latest addition will take its overall capacity to 608 MW. EGPB said Sao Goncalo will generate more than 1,500 GWh per year and offset around 860,000 mt of CO2 emissions.

Enel Green Power Brasil Participações (EGPB), the Brazilian subsidiary of Enel Green Power has started construction of 133MW of new solar capacity.

The company will invest €100m ($110m) for the construction of its São Gonçalo solar park expansion, which will increase its overall capacity to 608MW. The São Gonçalo solar park is located in São Gonçalo do Gurguéia, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí.

Enel Green Power head Antonio Cammisecra said: “We are further expanding São Gonçalo, South America’s largest solar plant currently under construction, reinforcing our commitment to boost our renewable capacity in Brazil, where we are the main player in both solar and wind in terms of installed capacity and project portfolio.

“São Gonçalo’s production profile will further benefit from our innovation leadership, including through state-of-the-art generation technologies.

“The plant will dedicate a significant portion of its output, including the entire production from its new expansion, to Brazil’s free energy market, which is increasingly attractive to renewable investors.”

Enel also tweeted: “The Brazilian sun will shine down on our new and improved São Gonçalo solar park: we have begun construction on a 133 MW expansion of our project, reaching the 608 MW of total capacity.”

The solar plant will be equipped with Enel’s bifacial solar modules, which have been designed to capture solar energy from both sides of the panel and are expected to increase power generation by nearly 18%. It is expected to commence commercial operations in 2020.

Once fully operational, the entire 608MW solar plant will have the capacity to generate more than 1,500GWh annually, while offsetting around 860,000t of carbon emissions into the atmosphere each year.

The São Gonçalo solar park has already signed power supply contracts with corporate customers and power distribution companies operating in the country’s regulated market.