Equinor ASA stated the 140-megawatt (MW) Serra da Babilônia Photo voltaic within the Brazilian state of Bahia is now commercially operational.
Co-located with the prevailing 223-MW Serra da Babilônia Wind, the photo voltaic unit completes the Norwegian majority state-owned firm’s first hybrid energy advanced, Equinor stated in a web-based assertion. The wind farm got here on-line 2018, earlier than Equinor took over by means of the acquisition of Rio Power in 2023.
“Amassed annual manufacturing from Serra da Babilônia Photo voltaic is estimated at 236 GWh of energy per yr, which is equal to the consumption of 143,000 Brazilian households”, Equinor stated. “The produced power shall be offered within the Brazilian energy market by Equinor’s power buying and selling home, Danske Commodities”.
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“Hybrid initiatives benefit from the complementary nature of photo voltaic and wind assets, which generate energy at totally different occasions of the day and all through totally different seasons”, it stated. “This helps to scale back the intermittency related to renewable energy technology and improve grid stability.
“Additional, Serra da Babilônia Photo voltaic leverages synergies from the working wind facility by sharing current infrastructure on website, and by attaining efficiencies throughout the operations and upkeep part. This ends in materials price financial savings for the hybrid advanced in comparison with a standalone photo voltaic asset”.
Serra da Babilônia Photo voltaic is the primary mission delivered by Rio Power as a completely owned subsidiary of Equinor, in accordance with Equinor.
“Brazil is a key space for Equinor’s long-term development”, stated Equinor supervisor for Brazil Veronica Coelho. “Constructing on a strong portfolio of oil and pure fuel, together with Raia that may provide round 15 % of Brazil’s complete fuel demand, we’re advancing in direction of a extra built-in and various power providing within the nation.
“With Serra da Babilônia Photo voltaic operational, we now have round 600 MW of photo voltaic and wind capability in energy manufacturing, which we will additional optimize by means of our buying and selling arm Danske Commodities based mostly in São Paulo”.
In Brazil’s energy sector, Equinor additionally owns a 43.5 % stake within the 162-MW Apodi photo voltaic advanced in Ceará state and 30 % within the 531-MW Mendubim photo voltaic vegetation advanced in Rio Grande do Norte state, each operated by Scatec ASA, additionally a Norwegian firm.
Rio Power can also be maturing a 1.5-gigawatt (GW) pipeline of onshore wind and photo voltaic initiatives, in accordance with Equinor.
Equinor goals to put in a renewables capability of 10-12 GW by 2030.
It up to date its power transition plan earlier this yr to carry down renewables enlargement in favor of “worth creation”. The brand new technique junked a plan to allot 50 % of capital to renewables and low-carbon options by the top of the last decade.
“Equinor has high-graded the mission portfolios in renewables and low-carbon options, and decreased price and early-phase spend to enhance the worth creation for shareholders”, it stated in its 2024 fourth quarter report, printed February 4, 2025. “The portfolio is predicted to ship greater than 10 % life-cycle fairness returns”.
To contact the creator, e mail jov.onsat@rigzone.com
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