This week, EDP, company that operates across all areas of the country’s energy industry, launched its largest solar energy unit in Itacarambi, Minas Gerais, through its EDP Smart department, which manages the Company’s energy solution portfolio. The two units included in the project were built for Multiplan, one of the country’s most prominent players in the shopping center market, and will generate 8.33 MWp. Designed around a self-consumption model, the unit will supply all the energy needed to VillageMall, a commercial center in Rio de Janeiro. According to Multiplan, the project will save the shopping mall R$ 5.5 million annually, or R$ 55 million over 10 years.

At the unit includes 25,440 photovoltaic modules covering an area of 240 thousand square meters, equal to 24 football fields, and is equipped with tracking technology - a moving structure that tracks sun rays to maximize radiation absorption. The project also includes a 9.5 km transmission line that connects the units with the distribution network and has already received authorization from the National Electrical Energy Agency (Aneel) to begin testing.

At the plant will generate 17.5 MWh a year, enough to supply 9,700 homes. Additionally, it will avoid 227,655 tons of carbon gas emissions throughout its 25 year lifetime. This is equivalent to planting over 418 thousand tress.

 “The size of this endeavor reflects EDP’s commitment to large projects in the solar power industry, which is one of the areas where the company will expand its operations in Brazil”, said Miguel Setas, EDP CEO in Brazil.

“In addition to saving energy, Multiplan considers the project a step forward for its policies to develop solutions that increase renewable resource efficiency. The project will significantly reduce costs for our store owners and help us achieve our goal of promoting quality of life, convenience and value generation through sustainable development of our shopping centers and real estate assets”, said Vander Giordano, VP of Multiplan.

Solar capacity

According to the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Power (ABSOLAR), Minas Gerais is the State with most renewable energy sources, with 151 MWp in capacity across several distribution projects.

Solar power is already the seventh largest energy source in Brazil, with a total 2,819 MW of operational installed capacity, equal to 1.2% of the national energy mix and accounting for more power than nuclear energy (1,990 MW).

Emphasis on energy solutions

EDP has a department that focuses exclusively on supporting self-consumption and distributed generation solar ventures and is responsible for building, operating and maintaining the systems. Between 2017 and 2018, the Company negotiated 15 solar power projects representing approximately 25 MWp in contracted capacity. One includes building a plant equipped with 15 thousand 5.6 MWp photovoltaic panels that will serve 88 Banco do Brasil branches in the state of Minas Gerais. The initiative will help Banco do Brasil save around R$ 82 million over a 15-year period.

At the Company has also deployed one of Brazil’s largest photovoltaic facilities, with installed capacity of 1.33 MWp, on the roof of ParkShopping Canoas in Rio Grande do Sul, which is also owned by Multiplan.

During the first quarter of the year, EDP announced a project to build a solar power plant for Brametal, owner of the one of the world’s largest hot-dip galvanized metal structure factories, for power generation and transmission in Espírito Santo. This project will generate 2,409 MWh per year. This will be Espírito Santo largest solar plant in terms of installed power.

About EDP in Brazil

EDP has over 20 years’ experience and is one of the biggest private-sector companies operating across the entire value chain. The Company has over 10,000 direct and indirect staff and is involved in energy Generation, Distribution, Transmission, Sales and Services. The company has six hydro power plants and one thermal power station that serve around 3.5 million people in the states of São Paulo and Espírito Santo. The Company recently acquired a majority stake in CELESC, from Santa Catarina. In Brazil, the company is noted for its Innovation, Governance and Sustainability and has been included in the B3 Business Sustainability Index (BSI) for 13 consecutive years.

About VillageMall

At the VillageMall  , a modern architectural project developed by Multiplan - one of Brazil’s leaders in the shopping center industry - has 95 stores and total GLA of 26,319 thousand square meters. The mall receives approximately 3.5 million visitors a year and provides around 2 thousand direct and indirect jobs. The mix of stores spread across three floors includes international brands and major national retailers focusing on luxury items. Brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Tiffany & Co, Tods, Dolce & Gabbana, CH Carolina Herrera, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Miu Mil and Salvatore Ferragamo have stores in the complex. 

At the food court includes exclusive restaurants such as Capim Santo, Nolita, Del Plin, Naga, Adega Santiago, Quadrifoglio, Giuseppe Mar and SAL Gastronomia, by chef Henrique Fogaça. The mall organizes several events throughout the year in the gardens and and on the deck, celebrating themes such as music, cuisine, fashion and behavior.  The shopping center is also home to the VillageMall Theatre, with can seat up to 1,060 people and can be used for major shows, and four latest-generation cinema screens.