Present for more than a quarter of a century in Brazil, Engie continues to invest there.
The French group has just completed the acquisition of five solar parks from Atlas, a renewable energy developer.
The operation of 3.24 billion Brazilian reals (around 60 million euros) allows Engie to add 545 peak megawatts to its portfolio.
“
This transaction reinforces a movement started in 2015, when the company decided to exit coal-fired power plants ,
”
specifies the group.
It now has an installed capacity of 9 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy;
10.5 GW by adding 1.5 GW of capacity corresponding to Engie's share in the Jirau hydropower plant, located on the Madeira River, in the state of Rondônia (northern Brazil).
Hydroelectricity indeed plays a key role in Brazil.
It represents 60% to 65% of the country's electricity mix.
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Brazil does not need to install batteries to compensate for intermittency, it has the easiest renewable energy to store with its dams ,
”
adds Mauricio Bahr, general manager of Engie Brazil.
The country is one of the vectors of the French group, through acquisitions, but also the construction of new wind or solar production capacities.
“
The parks are on a very different scale from Europe,”
adds Mauricio Bahr.
A solar farm can have a capacity of 800
megawatts (MW).
»
The largest in France, in Gironde, modestly displays 300 MW.
Wind power also benefits from large spaces, with additional yields of 50%, close or even higher than those of certain offshore parks.
Read alsoIn Chile, Engie replaces its coal-fired power plants with renewable electricity
Sales contracts to manufacturers
Engie's development in Brazil also involves the conclusion of contracts for the sale of renewable electricity to large industrial groups, like the one signed with L'Oréal.
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This agreement allows L’Oréal to reduce its CO2 emissions by 7,000 tonnes per year, while saving money ,
”
estimates Mauricio Bahr.
The group also supplies renewable electricity to the country's airports, in order to air-condition planes on the ground.
Previously, this service was provided by diesel generators.