EN 
PT_BR 
Cocal – an industrial group that operates in the production of sugar cane, ethanol, sugar, electricity, biomethane, among others – intends to inaugurate its first solar plant in October.
The plant is located in Pirapozinho, in São Paulo, with an average generation of 3,500 MWh/year – enough to serve around 1,000 small and medium-sized consumers. Work began in July this year and the investment is R$ 10 million.
The management model chosen for the new plant will be distributed generation (DG) with the creation of a consortium. All production will be destined for sale to customers in the region, a great option for small and medium-sized commercial establishments looking to reduce costs and environmental impacts.
“The initial focus is on small and medium-sized local entrepreneurs. For example: bakeries, markets and butchers, as well as homes. We will avoid efficiency losses resulting from long transports that, in the future, would be added to the final fare. We are talking about environmental and financial advantages”, said Cocal’s commercial and new products director, Andre Gustavo Silva.
The new solar plant is located in an industrial district that will rely on renewable electricity and already has access to Cocal's exclusive biomethane pipeline. In other words, green energy and fuel for entrepreneurs in the region. According to Silva, the solar plant will be connected directly to the local electrical distribution network (it serves the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul).
