Atlas Renewable Energy is entering the wind generation segment in Brazil with the purchase of a project that will be built in Minas Gerais, a state where wind power is still unexplored but could become a competitive option depending on the region, an executive told Reuters. of the company.
The project acquired by Atlas, an energy generator controlled by the English manager Actis, was developed by Voltalia, a company of French origin that also works with renewable energies in the country. The value of the acquisition was not disclosed.
The complex will have 378 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and will be the company’s first investment in wind energy in Brazil. Atlas grew by betting on solar generation and today has just over 3 GW in solar projects, operational or under construction, spread across Chile, Uruguay, Mexico and Brazil.
Dubbed Juramento, the wind farm has not yet had its energy sold, but Atlas is seeking long-term agreements with large electro-intensive consumers and expects to close the contract soon, according to Luis Pita, general manager of Atlas Renewable Energy in Brazil.
“We decided to go into another energy source because we have to complement the proposals that the market wants, our market wants energy 24/7”, said Pita, referring to the combination of different generation profiles, since wind farms mainly produce at night. , and solar, during the day.
Regarding the option of Minas Gerais, a champion state in terms of solar power but where wind power has not taken off, Pita pointed out that the winds are favorable for the installation of wind farms in some regions, such as the Southeast, where the Atlas project will be located.
In addition, Minas Gerais offers tax incentives to renewable generation plants, which also makes the projects competitive, he added.
“It is (a project) very different, we will be able to offer wind power close to the point of consumption… We have tried to stay close to the point of consumption of our potential customers”, he said.
Atlas’ strategy is to sell the energy from its ventures to large companies, such as mining company Anglo American and chemical companies Dow and Unipar, under long-term contracts. Last month, the company announced the formation of a joint venture with Hydro Rein and Albras for a solar project, with investments of 320 million dollars.
Pita pointed out that wind energy helps to diversify the portfolio of solutions offered to large consumers, who began to demand more sophisticated structures when contracting energy, such as contracts indexed to the dollar.
The executive also highlighted the intense search by clients for clean energy agreements, in the midst of the energy transition process, and the increasing demands regarding environmental, social and governance practices related to the projects.
According to him, the company works closely with the communities close to its generation projects, offering free training and employing part of the course participants. “When we started in Brazil, we had 1% of the female workforce. Today some projects reach 17%”, he exemplified.
Source: CNN Brasil
