EDP, a company that operates in all segments of the Brazilian electricity industry, through EDP Smart, a division that brings together the Company energy solutions portfolio, has developed a solar power plant plant in the self-generation model to attend the new studios inaugurated by Globo last week in Rio de Janeiro. In an area of approximately 4,500 square meters, more than 2,000 photovoltaic panels were installed over the so-called Módulo de Gravação 4 [Recording Module 4] (MG4).

At the plant has a power capacity of 766 kWp and will be able to generate 1,055 MWh/year, enough to supply about 350 homes per month, with an average consumption of 250kWh/month. The plant is connected to the Globo-owned power substation and interconnected to the local power utility.

Athanks to the venture, over 25 years, the plant shelf-life, the emission of approximately 2,000 tons of CO2, equivalent of planting about 12,000 trees, will be avoided. In addition to being a clean technology, since it does not release pollutants into the atmosphere, solar energy can provide a reduction in the value of the electricity bill, and the need for plant maintenance is reduced when compared to other energy sources.

“Brazil is starting a process of energy transition, in which renewable sources producing energy in a decentralized way are increasingly gaining importance in the national matrix. EDP is at the frontline of this transition by offering its customers solar energy solutions. We are very happy to have partnered with Grupo Globo to put national audiovisual production at the leading edge of clean energy use, ”says Miguel Setas, chairman of EDP in Brazil.

“The adoption of solar energy meets our sustainability assumptions, which is a very relevant topic for Globo. MG4 is born supplied by 100% from renewable sources. All the water heated in these new facilities goes through the solar energy being generated”,informs Mauricio Gonzalez, Finance and Infrastructure Director at Globo.

EDP Smart, which has a unit dedicated to the implementation of photovoltaic ventures in self-generation and distributed generation modalities, will be responsible for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the system implemented at Globo for a period of 15 years, in the rental model.

Focus on energy solutions

EDP also built a solar power plant for Globo in Recife. The plant produces about 269,000 kWh per year, enough energy to serve 90 homes per month. With 468 photovoltaic modules and carport technology, the structure was installed over the station 72 parking spaces, in an area of approximately 1,000 square meters.

Since 2017, EDP has negotiated 19 solar energy projects with approximately 30 MWp of contracted capacity. One of them is a power plant with 15 thousand photovoltaic panels and 5.6 MWp to serve 88 agencies of Banco do Brasil, in Minas Gerais. The initiative will save about R$ 82 million over a 15-year period for the bank.

EDP recently announced the opening, in Itacarambi, Minas Gerais, of the largest solar energy complex ever implemented by the Company. Composed of two power plants totaling 8.33 MWp, the solar plant guarantees 100% of the energy supply of VillageMall, a commercial center located in Rio de Janeiro. According to Multiplan, the project, with an area of 240 thousand square meters, the equivalent of 24 soccer fields, will provide savings of R$ 55 million over 10 years.

Solar energy market

In 2019, solar energy production overcame the nuclear energy, assuming the position of seventh most representative source in Brazil energy matrix. According to the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (ABSOLAR), Rio de Janeiro is the eighth state that has most exploited this renewable energy source, with 38.7 MWp of installed capacity in distributed generation projects.

About EDP in Brazil

With over 20 years of experience, EDP is one of the largest private companies in the electricity sector operating throughout the value chain. The Company, which has over 10,000 direct and outsourced employees, operates in Generation, Distribution, Transmission, Trading and Energy Services. It has six hydroelectric and one thermoelectric generation units, and serves about 3.5 million customers through its Distributors in São Paulo and Espírito Santo. Recently, it became CELESC main shareholder in Santa Catarina. In Brazil, it is a reference in areas such as Innovation, Governance and Sustainability, being in the B3´s Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE) for 13 consecutive years.