Enel, through its Brazilian subsidiary for renewables, Enel Green Power Brasil Participações Ltda, has started commercial operations for the 133 MW expansion of theSão Gonçalo solar photovoltaic plant already in operation, the largest plant of its kind in South America, located in São Gonçalo do Gurguéia, in the northeastern state of Piauí, Brazil. The construction of the 475 MW section required an investment of approximately 133 million Brazilian reals, equal to approximately 422 million euros.
"The commissioning of the first expansion of the innovative São Gonçalo solar park represents an important step forward for Enel in Brazil, strengthening our leadership position in the country's solar power generation market," he said. Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power and Head of Enel's Global Power Generation business line. “Despite the challenges of the current scenario, we recently started construction of 1,3 GW of renewable capacity in Brazil, which includes a new 256 MW section of the São Gonçalo solar park. We therefore remain committed to further contributing to the country's growing electricity sector and to lead the green recovery in Brazil, as we are doing globally.”
In August 2019, Enel announced the start of construction of the133 MW expansion of the solar park, which is in operation today. Prior to this, construction of the first 475 MW section of São Gonçalo had started in October 2018, and was then connected to the grid in January 2020. The new expansion will start operating as early as 2021, when the entire 864 MW will include more than 2,2 million solar panels and, once fully operational, will be able to generate more than 2,2 TWh annually, reducing emissions into the atmosphere by more than 1,2 million tons annually. CO2.
São Gonçalo is Enel's first plant in Brazil to use bifacial solar modules that capture solar energy on both sides of the panel. Thanks to the use of this technology, a increase in power generation up to 18%.
