Enel starts construction of South America largest wind farm
Enel, through its Brazilian renewable energy subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações Ltda has started construction of the 716 MW Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí. Lagoa dos Ventos, which is expected to enter into operation in 2021, is the largest wind facility currently under construction in South America and Enel Green Power’s largest wind farm worldwide. The investment for the construction of the facility will amount to around 3 billion Brazilian reais, equivalent to over 700 million euros at the current exchange rate, which is in line with Enel’s 2019-2021 strategic plan and will be financed through the Group’s own sources.
Mr Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel Green Power, the Enel Group’s global renewable energy business line said that “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.”
The Lagoa dos Ventos wind facility is comprised of 230 wind turbines and, once fully up and running, will be able to generate over 3.3 TWh per year while avoiding the emission of over 1.6 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Out of the wind farm’s total installed capacity, 510 MW were 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, while the output from the remaining 206 MW will be delivered to the free market for sale to retails customers, leveraging Enel’s integrated presence in the country.
Given the large scale of the project, EGPB designed an innovative plant layout based on a high-resolution wind resource assessment to optimise the project’s energy output. In addition, EGPB will use a variety of innovative tools and methods to build Lagoa dos Ventos, such as proximity sensors on machinery to boost site safety, drones for topographic survey, smart tracking of wind turbine components, as well as advanced digital platforms and software solutions to monitor and remotely support site activities and plant commissioning. These processes and tools will enable swifter, more accurate and reliable data collection, improving the quality of construction and facilitating communication between on-site and off-site teams. The company will also implement initiatives in line with EGP’s “Sustainable Construction Site” model, such as water saving and recycling as well as lighting efficiency measures.
In Brazil, the Enel Group, through its subsidiaries EGPB and Enel Brasil, manages around 2.9 GW of renewable capacity, of which 842 MW from wind power, 820 MW from solar PV and 1,269 MW from hydro. In addition, EGPB has more than 1 GW in execution in Brazil awarded in 2017 tenders.
Source : Strategic Research Institute