Solar Americas Capital is launching to bring upwards of 2GW of solar power in partnership with progressive corporations across Brazil by 2026. The company will co-fund, identify, build and manage the solar assets for commercial partners, drawing on over 25 years of experience working in the Brazilian, solar and finance markets. The company has successfully completed its first funding round, secured access to growth capital from private investors and is starting the construction of its first solar farm in Brazil. Solar Americas aims to raise £1 billion for investment in Brazilian solar energy by 2026.
In 2021 alone, Brazilian energy prices increased by over 50% and are expected to continue to rise considerably above inflation. Worldwide however, the costs for solar power generation continue to fall. Energy cost savings of up to 30% can be realised by companies in Brazil turning to solar power due to the abundance of solar irradiation coupled with the regulatory incentives to feed a growing demand. Brazil is the only geographically large country with GDP exceeding $1.5trillion dollars where utility-scale solar penetration is below 2% despite its exceptional climactic potential for this type of renewable energy. Total solar installations in Brazil have more than doubled since 2019, despite the pandemic. Solar Americas sees this rapid rate of expansion as continuing over the next 5 years and is looking forward to playing a key part in it.
Partnering with Solar Americas gives companies the ability to forecast their power expenditure for as long as they choose to own the asset. If a company is spending $200,000+ on power per year, being able to guarantee supply for 20 years in an otherwise highly volatile market enables significant competitive advantages. Solar Americas will also deliver Brazilian companies a rare opportunity for energy spend transparency as well as providing guarantees to shareholders and governance bodies as to the sustainability credentials of their energy source.
Luiz Silva, Co-Founder, CEO EMEA of Solar Americas said: “Improving on environmental credentials is no longer optional. Companies across the world are keen to explore ways that they can guarantee a reduction in their carbon footprint as well as fully optimising their operations with cost reductions. Building a solar farm is complex and requires experience and focus on the operation which many mid-size companies do not have in-house and is expensive to access. We have the knowledge and connections required to build a solar power installation and lift the burden from our partners.”
Solar Americas will form joint ventures with each company it works with to develop the co-funded solar asset together. The Solar Americas network will also provide an umbrella under which its clients can access a larger portfolio of asset sale options when they are ready to divest the asset, with an experienced team to structure and guide the deal.
Tiago Alves, Co-Founder, CEO Americas of Solar Americas also commented: “We are delivering a new partnership design with upside and transparency for Brazilian companies and investors while enabling them to monetise and develop a strategic asset for the future. This is a huge opportunity for both corporates in Brazil and investors to be part of a much bigger sell, without the risk of going it alone.”
The Company attracted investors active in a range of sectors and geographies:
“EVIPAR is a household name in the region with a long-standing reputation for responsible investments within the healthcare and real-estate sectors. The client-investor collaborative model of Solar Americas Capital attracted our attention, and we look forward to collaborating with its successful roll-out in Brazil”, said Francisco Eustacio Viera Filho, shareholder at EVIPAR and Board Advisor at Solar Americas.
Rebeca and Raphael da Fonte, who completes the roaster of Board Advisors at Solar Americas Capital, add “As a family, we have interests in technology and infrastructure operations spreading over 20 countries, including companies such as ATP, Motrice and Grupo Raymundo da Fonte. The complementarity of Solar Americas Capital with companies linked to our families and the experience behind the team constitutes a strength that we are happy to be part of”.
