A OK announced that it started operating the project Cerrado Sun, which has been installed in the municipality of Jaíba, northern region of Minas Gerais.
The enterprise, which has 766 MWp, It is one of largest solar energy parks in Latin America. When operating at full capacity, in July 2023, it will represent 16% of all energy consumed by the company in Brazil.
The Sun of the Cerrado, whose investments total around R$3 billion, is an important step to help Vale achieve its climate goals of reducing net carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and reaching zero by 2050. The company hopes to achieve 100% renewable electricity consumption in Brazil by 2025, and, globally, by 2030.
The energy generated by the plant will reduce Vale's emissions by 134 thousand tCO2e/year. The complex was taken by the company to COP-27, which is taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
More about the Cerrado Sun
The plant is made up of 17 subparks, four of which have already been energized. The occupied area is equivalent to around 1,3 football fields.
In total, the project will have 1,4 million solar panels and trackers. In addition, they used 10,2 million meters of cables through which the energy will be conducted.
Work on Sol do Cerrado began in January 2021 and generated around 3 jobs at the peak of activities, almost 50% local labor and 16% women.
Residents of the region were trained and employed to work on the works as bricklayers, mechanics and professionals in industrial electrical installation. Furthermore, around a quarter of the suppliers contracted to implement the project are from the region.
When it reaches maximum operating capacity, in July 2023, Sol do Cerrado will have 90 permanent workers of various qualifications, such as electrical technicians, electricians and general service assistants.
“Sol do Cerrado is an unprecedented project for Vale, which brings local development, renewable energy and is linked to our objective of being leaders in sustainable mining”, highlighted Eduardo Bartolomeo, president of Vale.
The project also covers a 15 km long transmission line, with a voltage of 230 thousand volts, interconnecting the Coletora Sol do Cerrado and Jaíba substations, from where the energy is transferred to the SIN (National Interconnected System).
