The Minas Gerais Distributed Generation Company (EMGD) starts in August the energy compensation service in the state of Minas Gerais. In order to generate and expand the use of clean and sustainable energy for more and more miners, offering an uncomplicated reduction in the cost of the electricity bill, EMGD arrives at its effective inauguration bringing differentials that seal it as a great exponent of the sector .
Conceived in 2016, a moment of great progress in the development of the Distributed Generation (DG) modality in Brazil, EMGD spent the last four years in a maturation process, adapting itself on all fronts until the arrival of the current scenario: the completion of its first solar farm. Located in Pirapora, in the North of Minas Gerais, the Photovoltaic Plant (UFV) Corvina, as it was named, is just waiting for the connection procedures with Cemig, scheduled to take place by the beginning of August, for the long-awaited start-up.
Guided by the expertise of seven highly relevant names in the Minas Gerais business scenario, the group of shareholders that make up EMGD's board of directors is made up of members linked to various sectors, from steel to civil construction. Among them, two economists with consolidated experience in the financial market, José Francisco Dutra and André Sallum de Mendonça, who flank their management with important names such as Ricardo Valadares Gontijo, Ricardo Ribeiro Valadares Gontijo and Rafael Passos Valadares, linked to the construction company Direcional Engenharia. In addition to the dense performance of executives who made history in the Gerdau Group, such as Daniel Antônio Miranda de Mesquita, former Industrial Director of the group, and Manoel Vitor de Mendonça Filho, former Vice President of the Gerdau Group.
This composition of experienced names in conducting the business brought, in addition to credibility, differentials that turned EMGD into a great ally of Minas Gerais business community. Through it, legal entities that have a minimum consumption of R$ 1.500 on their electricity bill, with businesses within the state of Minas Gerais and connected to Cemig's network, will be able to benefit in an uncomplicated way from discounts ranging from 10% (industrial class ) to 18% (commercial class) on energy costs. “All this with zero investment in equipment or maintenance cost, in addition to a contract with no loyalty period”, endorses José Francisco Dutra, CFO and member of the Board of Directors of EMGD. Added to this are the facilities in the digital signature process, which allows the customer to hire his quota from wherever he is, 100% online and secure.
During the adhesion process, the EMGD team carries out a survey regarding the average energy consumption of the customer in recent months and, based on this data, scales the necessary quota to meet their demand. The energy generated by this lot leased at UFV Corvina goes directly to Cemig's distribution network, in Pirapora, and is converted into credits for deduction on the customer's account in any location in the state, as long as it meets the aforementioned requirements. “Suppose that the owner of a butcher shop has an average energy bill of BRL 5. From the moment the EMGD plan is contracted, the energy generated in the solar quota leased by it will offset its consumption with Cemig, and the customer will be responsible for paying its monthly fee, which, in the exemplified case, will cost R$ 4.100, that is, savings approximately R$ 11 annually”, explains José Francisco.
Such conditions boosted the demand for EMGD's services.
According to José Francisco, more than half of the UFV Corvina lots were leased even before their connection with Cemig. “It exceeded our expectations, but it is good to point out that we are making available quotas of a farm that has already been completed, which will benefit the economy later this year. After they close, those interested will only be able to save with us when we finish the construction of a new photovoltaic plant”, he warns.
UFV Corvina, responsible for generating this energy, has a total power of 6 peak megawatts (MWp) and occupies an area of 11 hectares, the equivalent of 15 football fields. With an initial investment of around R$25 million, the plant has 15 photovoltaic panels capable of supplying around 925 kilowatt-hours per month, enough to meet the consumption of 600 businessmen who rent the minimum quota required.
And the company's commitment to the people of Minas Gerais is just beginning. The forecast for 2021 is to start its expansion with a bold investment plan, which provides for the construction of new EMGD solar farms, all in Minas Gerais. “We are going to honor our motto more and more, because we are a mining company, made by miners and for miners”, concludes José Francisco. The project includes another 30 plants, with investments of R$ 400 million over the next four years.
