Installed on the Billings dam, the plant will have the capacity to produce up to 10 GWh per year, equivalent to the consumption of 4,000 homes
The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), delivered on Wednesday (17 January 2024) the 1st stage of implementation of the UFF (Floating Photovoltaic Plant) Araucária, at the Billings dam, in the south of the capital. With an initial investment of R$30 million, the plant has the capacity to produce up to 10 GWh of solar energy per year, equivalent to the consumption of 4,000 homes.
“The project is very interesting because we are taking advantage of the water mirror to generate energy, we have the 1st floating photovoltaic plant that will generate energy commercially in Brazil. It is an example that is here to stay and we must use this potential to generate clean, cheap and accessible energy. It is another step in our sustainability energy policy”, said Tarcísio.
Also participating in the ceremony were:
- the State Secretary of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Natália Resende;
- the president of the São Paulo Legislative Assembly, André do Prado (PL);
- the president of the São Paulo City Council, Milton Leite (União Brasil);
- the mayor of the capital, Ricardo Nunes (MDB);
- in addition to other state and municipal authorities and managers from Emae (Metropolitan Water and Energy Company).
The plant is one of the main sustainable energy development projects in São Paulo. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2025, with the delivery of another 75 MW of renewable energy and 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 until 2050 and, last year alone, we prospected more than R$20 billion in energy projects that focus on the circular economy. This means using clean energy to provide quality services combined with the environment and what, in fact, sustainability means.”, said Natália Resende.
The plant has a peak installed power of 7 MW, with 5 MW of connection power and photovoltaic panels installed on high-density polyethylene floats. Energy generation is awaiting an operating license, issued by Cetesb (Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo), to begin.
When it starts operating, the plant will be the largest in the country to operate commercially in distributed generation mode, with generators located close to consumption centers. The plant's production will be deducted from the electricity consumption of the plant's customers, through compensation in electricity bills.
According to the São Paulo government, in 2 months, the implementation of the plant created around 200 jobs. Compared to the total area of Billings, the space occupied by the plant on the surface of the dam is less than 0.1%, with a low environmental impact of installing it at the site.
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With information from SP Agency.
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