ATLAS RENEWABLE ENERGY AND HYDRO REIN SUCCESSFULLY COMMISSION THE 438MW BOA SORTE SOLAR COMPLEX
The project will supply Albras, the largest primary aluminum producer in Brazil, with clean, renewable energy.
SÃO PAULO, APRIL 3, 2024 – Atlas Renewable Energy, a leading international clean energy generation company, and Hydro REIN, Hydro’s renewable energy solutions business, a global industry leader in the aluminum and energy sectors across 40 countries, announced the commercial operation of their Boa Sorte solar complex (“Boa Sorte”) in Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The solar plant will supply clean, renewable energy to Albras meeting about 12% of Albras’ total energy consumption under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), from 2025 to 2044.
With an installed capacity of 438 MW, Boa Sorte will generate about 920 GWh annually, equivalent to supplying over 394 thousand Brazilian households and avoiding about 61 thousand tons of CO2 emissions per year.
“Boa Sorte is a significant project for us because it marked our initial PPA to supply clean energy to Albras. This successful collaboration has been repeated in Vista Alegre, which is currently under construction. Boa Sorte is also unique given it was our first solar project in Brazil to secure a dollar-indexed loan from BNDES. Moreover, Boa Sorte stands as a testament to our commitment to delivering projects on-time and on-budget, contributing to our 100% completion rate track record,” said Fabio Bortoluzo, Country Manager for Atlas Renewable Energy in Brazil.
Covering an area equivalent to 1,152 Maracanã stadiums, the construction of the Boa Sorte complex required 16,584 tons of metal structures and involved over 2 million man-hours worked. To optimize the management of this large-scale project, technologies were adopted that allowed the production team to integrate real-time management and data-driven decision-making. As a result of this integration between technology and the expertise of the Atlas team, it was possible to anticipate the project’s operation two months earlier.
“This is an important milestone for Hydro Rein’s projects in Brazil, which is considered a strategic market for the company. It represents another step towards achieving our mission of developing renewable solutions for industries. This year, we also started commercial operations at the Mendubim solar complex, and by the end of 2024, we will start operating the Vento de São Zacarias wind complex. Brazil is one of the most exciting markets for renewable energy in the world and we are attentive to the opportunities for growth in the sector,” says Marcela Jacob, head of Hydro Rein in Brazil.
Commitment to socio-environmental development
The construction of Boa Sorte involved about 2,900 workers, with 14.4% being women, a percentage above the sector’s average. This reflects Atlas’s efforts to drive a more inclusive industry and provide opportunities to all people near our projects. Through the “We are all part of the same energy” program, which empowers and offers new opportunities to the communities near Atlas’ projects with training in technical skills in the electrical and construction sectors, 320 local women received training and 72 of them were hired by Atlas or partners during the construction period.
“The training we offer serves a dual purpose: it not only supports our operations but also leaves a lasting impact that transforms lives, fosters financial independence, and empowers women to lead autonomous lives. This commitment stems from our belief in diversity as a key element in building a sustainable future,” said Fernanda Abreu, Head of ESG at Atlas Renewable Energy.
Another notable socio-environmental initiative in the region is the Ecoar Workshop, a collaborative effort between Atlas Renewable Energy, JANZ.media, and the Conscientearte Foundation. This project focuses on providing documentary filmmaking training tailored to individuals with diverse backgrounds in Paracatu. Its aim is to empower participants who have historically lacked access, resources, or platforms to share their stories, thereby fostering autonomy and independence within their communities. Approximately 480 community members participated throughout the course, engaging in hands-on learning of cinematographic techniques. At the end, they will collaboratively produce four mini documentaries highlighting the cultural expressions unique to their backgrounds. These documentaries are scheduled for exhibition within the municipality in July 2024.
Renewable energy at Albras
The supply of energy is fundamental to the sustainability of the aluminum chain in Brazil and Albras, has been looking closely at this issue. In this sense, Albras, a joint venture between Hydro and NAAC – Nippon Amazon Aluminium Co. Ltd, is investing to expand the use of renewable energy sources (solar and wind) in its operations and contribute to achieving its decarbonization goals.
“This is a significant milestone for Albras to secure our long-term strategy of green aluminum production. With the investments in renewable sources, we are securing Albras long-term energy sourcing as well as diversifying our energy matrix and reinforcing our commitment to being part of the green transition solution. We want to contribute to creating a fair society by producing responsibly using renewable energy as concepted since the startup,” says João Batista Menezes, CEO of Albras.
In addition to Boa Sorte, the company has signed a contract with Atlas Renewable Energy to supply solar energy through the Vista Alegre photovoltaic complex, the largest PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) ever signed in Latin America. Vista Alegre will guarantee Albras a sustainable energy supply for 21 years.
About Atlas Renewable Energy
Atlas Renewable Energy is an international renewable energy generation company with about 5.8 GW of renewable energy assets, of which 2.7 GW are operational. Atlas has specialized in developing, financing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects since early 2017. The company has an experienced team with a deep global power market and renewable energy expertise, with the longest track record in the renewable energy industry in Ibero-America.
The company’s strategy is focused on helping large corporates make the energy transition to clean energy. Atlas Renewable Energy is widely recognized for its high standards in developing, constructing, and operating large-scale projects, as well as its deep and long-standing track record in ESG and sustainable development.
For more details, please visit: https://www.atlasrenewableenergy.com
About Hydro Rein
Hydro Rein is a leading provider of renewable energy solutions for industry. Hydro Rein has a diversified portfolio with more than 40 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects under development in key markets in the Nordic countries and Brazil. After 3 years of growth in renewable energy, Hydro Rein has a gross capacity of 6.9 GW in its portfolio. Long-term contracts have been signed in EUR and USD for a production of 5.3 TWh per year, resulting in contracted revenues of 4.4 billion.
Created in 2021 as part of the sustainability strategy of Hydro, an integrated aluminium and energy company, Rein’s strategy is focused on the industrial need to decarbonize, where tailor-made solutions are needed to overcome the obstacles of the energy transition.
About Albras
Albras is the largest producer of primary aluminum in Brazil and has been supplying the domestic and foreign markets with high-purity ingots since 1985. Hydro is the company’s main shareholder, with 51% of the shares in this joint venture. The other shareholder is NAAC – Nippon Amazon Aluminium Co., Ltd., a Japanese consortium formed by a Japanese government agency, trading companies, consumers and manufacturers of aluminum products.
Press information
Atlas Renewable Energy
RPMA Comunicação
atlasrenewableenergy@rpmacomunicacao.com.br
Andrea Natali – +55 (11) 992 320 553
Marília Bonifácio – +55 (11) 985 869 994
Hydro REIN
In Press Porter Novelli
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