The lives of more than 100 families who live in small Xique-xique, isolated community of Remanso (BA), approximately 720 km from the capital Salvador, now has a new history.
With the arrival of electricity from renewable sources, the residents of this region, with around 400 inhabitants who basically live off family farming and homemade honey production, now have access to energy 24 hours a day.
This is because neoenergy completed the installation of a solar plant of 243 kWp and distribution network that form the microgrid system. In total, 616 photovoltaic panels were used to build the plant.
According to Neonergia, the system will be able to guarantee an average monthly consumption of 80 kWh for homes. There is also lithium-ion battery storage, with the capacity to guarantee supply for 48 hours when there is not enough solar radiation.
26 km of primary distribution network and another nine kilometers of secondary network were built to take electricity to consumers. 387 poles and 32 transformers were also installed.
“It was the best thing that happened. The lack of energy was one of our biggest difficulties. Now, we have a refrigerator, washing machine and television that we can use at any time”, said Adriano Pereira dos Santos, a resident of the community.
In addition to 110 homes, the project included a school, a community artesian well and a residents' association. “More than providing sustainable electrical energy, with quality and efficiency, we are promoting economic and social development for families”, said Heron Fontana, director of Processes and Technology at Neoenergia.
The plant's operation and energy distribution are monitored by the COI (Integrated Operations Center) and the CEGRI (Intelligent Grid Management Center) of Neoenergia Coelba, located in Salvador (BA).
To this end, a satellite antenna was installed to ensure monitoring of equipment, meters and distribution performance. All energy meters are intelligent, allowing remote reading of each customer's consumption, management of energy supply and monitoring of voltage and current levels.
Investment in microgrid
The Remanso microgrid project is a pioneer in Light for All Program, created by the Federal Government to bring electrification to remote areas and universalize access to energy.
The initiative received resources from Neoenergia's R&D (Research and Development) Program, regulated by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) and was recognized with two trophies at the 2022 OSE “The Electric Sector” Awards, in the “research and development” and “best work” categories.
The initiative will also generate data so that, in the laboratory, the application of a microgrid with a super capacitor for storage can be simulated. “Investment in microgrids is related to the expectation that the technology will have greater adoption in the market, which can generate cost reductions”, highlighted José Antônio Brito, corporate R&D manager at Neoenergia.
“This enables the expansion of projects like this in the country and benefits other communities in remote areas that are not yet served by the conventional electrical distribution network”, he concluded.
