Enel Green Power has put its largest wind plant in the world into operation in Brazil. Lagoa dos Ventos with 716 MW is the largest renewable energy construction in South America: Enel is investing around 360 million euros in the construction of a new 396 MW wind project, which will bring the overall capacity of Lagoa dos Ventos to around 1.1 GW.
The wind farm of the Enel Group’s Brazilian renewable energy subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações Ltda. (“EGPB”), which is located in in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí – particularly in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio –, is composed by 230 wind turbines and will be able to generate over 3.3TWh per year while avoiding the emission of over 1.9 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
“Lagoa dos Ventos is a record-breaking wind project and its start of commercial operations is an important milestone for Enel Green Power worldwide, especially in light of the challenges of the global health scenario,” said Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power and Head of Enel’s Global Power Generation business line, adding that Enel’s largest wind farm in the world “represents a significant step forward for our sustainable growth, while also supporting the green recovery in Brazil, further contributing to the diversification of the country’s energy mix.”
In addition to an innovative plant layout based on a high-resolution wind resource assessment, EGPB used several innovative tools and methods to build the project, such as proximity sensors on machinery to boost site safety, drones for topographic survey, smart tracking of wind turbine components, advanced digital platforms and software solutions to monitor and remotely support site activities and plant commissioning, as well as a specific tool for wind turbine generator erection schedule optimization.
In Brasil, the Enel Group, through its subsidiaries EGPB and Enel Brasil, has a total renewable installed capacity of over 3.7 GW, of which 1,498 MW are wind. The company has also implemented initiatives in line with EGP’s “Sustainable Construction Site” model, such as measures for saving and recycling water and for lighting efficiency.
