The UFF Araucária project is located at the Billings dam and is developed by Empresa Metropolitana Águas e Energia. Empresa Metropolitana de Águas e Energia (EMAE) and (EMAE) and KWP Energia. The first phase, led by Brazil’s Ministry of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, was completed on January 17.
Brazil’s largest floating solar plant
With 10,500 solar panels located on the surface of the water and an initial investment of approximately US$6 million, the plant has the capacity to generate up to 10 GWh per year, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 4,000 homes.
The project has a peak installed capacity of 7 MW, with 5 MW of connection capacity and photovoltaic panels installed on high density polyethylene floats.
“The project is very interesting because we are taking advantage of the water mirror to generate energy, we have the first floating photovoltaic plant that will generate energy commercially in Brazil. It is an example that is here to stay and we must take advantage of this potential to generate clean, cheap and accessible energy. This is a further step in our sustainable energy policy.“said Tarcísio de Freitas, governor of São Paulo.
When will energy production start?
Energy production will start immediately after obtaining the operating license issued by the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB). According to the government of São Paulo, the UFF Araucária project will become the largest in the country to operate commercially under the distributed generation model, with generators located in close proximity to consumption centers. The implementation of the project has generated approximately 200 jobs in a two-month period.
“This is a grandiose project that takes advantage of the photovoltaic sector in water slides. In this first phase alone, the supplier companies created 80 direct jobs and approximately 120 indirect jobs. The forecast for the next two years is a lot of work with the installation of more plants. We are 100% committed to this goal“said EMAE’s general director, Marcio Rea.
The facility is said to be one of the key projects for the advancement of sustainable energy in São Paulo. It is projected to be completed by the end of 2025, providing an additional 75 MW of renewable energy, with an investment of R$450 million.
“This plant is the realization of what we are pursuing in the state of São Paulo in relation to clean energy, energy transition and decarbonization. Our energy plan has a horizon up to 2050 and, last year alone, we have projected more than R$ 20 billion in energy projects focused on the circular economy. This means using clean energy to provide quality services combined with the environment and, in fact, sustainability.“, said Natália Resende, Secretary of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics of the state of São Paulo.
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