Italian energy company Enel, through its subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações (EGPB), has started construction of the 716MW Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm in Brazil.
Image: Enel starts building 716MW wind farm in Brazil. Photo: Courtesy of Jim Frech/FreeImages.com.
Enel stated that the Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm will be able generate more than 3.3TWh of clean energy annually, upon beginning operations.
The wind farm will be located in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio, in the northeastern state of Piauí in the country.
The Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm is expected to begin operations in 2021 and the total investment is estimated to be around BRL3bn (€714m). The investment is in line with the company’s 2019-2021 strategic plan and will be financed through the company’s own sources.
The wind farm will be powered by 230 turbines and once fully up and running, it will help to avoid more than 1.6 million tons of CO2 from entering into the atmosphere.
Out of the total installed capacity, 510MW was awarded to Enel Green Power in Brazil’s A-6 public tender in December 2017 and is supported by 20-year power supply contracts with a pool of distribution companies operating in the country’s regulated market. The remaining 206MW of output will be delivered to the free market and will be sold to retails customers.
Enel Group’s global renewable energy business line Enel Green Power head Antonio Cammisecra said: “The start of construction of this record-breaking wind project in Brazil is a major milestone for our presence in the country, which continues to be one of the most prominent markets for Enel Green Power.
“As the largest wind facility for Enel Green Power worldwide, Lagoa dos Ventos will set a new, higher standard in the construction of large sustainable energy infrastructure, further contributing to the diversification of the country’s energy mix.”
In January, the company agreed to sell three of its renewable energy projects totaling 540MW for €700m to Chinese company CGN Energy International (CGNEI).
These projects include three solar plants namely Nova Olinda (292MW), located in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Piauí ,and Lapa (158MW), situated in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia, along with the 90MW Cristalândia wind farm, also in Bahia.