Newave Energia invests billions in Goiás for the construction of a new solar plant. The project is expected to create 1,5 jobs and boost the state's economy.
Newave Energia, a company specializing in solar energy, recently announced the construction of the largest solar plant in the state of Goiás, through a partnership with the State Government and Gerdau. Almost a year and a half ago, Gerdau entered into a partnership with investment manager Newave Capital to build a project in the city of Arinos in Minas Gerais and will now begin construction of the Barro Alto project in Goiás, another large-scale and highly competitive plant.
Company promises to create thousands of new jobs
In a meeting held this Monday (30), a investment of R$ 1,3 billion in the new solar plant, which will be inaugurated in the municipality of Barro Alto, 226 km from Goiânia. According to the project, the expectation is that 1,5 direct jobs will be created, only during the construction period. The new solar plant, which will be the largest in the state, will have 731 thousand solar panels, distributed over an area of approximately 800 hectares.
Operations are expected to begin in 2026, with the new solar plant responsible for 22% of the solar energy generation capacity in Goiás, capable of supplying the consumption of a city with 365 thousand inhabitants.
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The production will be mainly destined for sales in markets in the segment, in addition to being sent to Brazilian steel manufacturing units of Gerdau (a company that makes up Newave Energia together with the company Newave Capital), which is currently undergoing a process of decarbonisation.
What will be the capacity of the new solar plant?
In addition to generating thousands of jobs, the new solar plant will have 452 megawatt-peak (MWp) of installed capacity. Part of the billion-dollar investment comes from financing from SUDECO, operated by Banco do Brasil.
The CEO of Newave Energy and founder of Newave Capital, Edgard Corrochano, and the executive director of Gerdau Next, Elder Rapachi, explain that the volume of energy to be generated by the new solar plant corresponds to 111 MWm, which in energy equivalents could supply the consumption of a city with around 365 thousand inhabitants.
According to Corrochano, all investment capital is 100% Brazilian and the companies raised more than R$900 million in the FIP with more than 15 investors. According to the partnership plan, the new solar plant, which will create thousands of jobs, will supply part of the energy volume for Gerdau's steel production units in Brazil, as part of its decarbonization process.
According to Rapachi, this is an important step in Gerdau's decarbonization strategy and in increasing the competitiveness of its operations in Brazil. Gerdau already has one of the best global averages for greenhouse gas emissions, 50% lower than the global average for the steel sector.
The solar energy market in Goiás
Due to its location in the “Sun Belt”, the solar energy potential in Goiás is one of the most favorable in Brazil. Thus, the highest values of solar radiation, according to the Brazilian Solar Energy Atlas, are highlighted, mainly in the northeast of the state of Goiás.
According to surveys by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the state stands out for its solar incidence of between 2 and 2.5 hours of sunlight per year, above the national average. Being located in one of the most privileged regions of the country means better use of clean and renewable energy generation, despite its energy matrix still corresponding to 0,3%.