Vale Begins Operations of Mega Solar Power Plant in Northern Minas Gerais, Project Sol do Cerrado

Last Week, Vale Launched Operations for the Sol do Cerrado Project, One of the Largest Solar Power Parks in Latin America. The Project Will Be Installed in the Municipality of Jaíba, in Northern Minas Gerais.

The mega solar plant, which received investments of approximately R$3 billion (US$590 million), will have an installed capacity of 766 Megawatts, equivalent to the consumption of a municipality with 800 thousand inhabitants.

Watch a Short Video of a Tour of the Solar Photovoltaic Plant Below

The mega plant began its operations last Thursday, the 17th. According to a report from Vale, the Sol do Cerrado Project will be equivalent to 41% of all installed capacity for solar energy generation in the state of Minas Gerais, accounting for 10% of the national capacity.

When the plant reaches its full capacity in July 2023, it will generate 16% of all energy consumed by the mining company in Brazil. The plant occupies an area equivalent to 1,300 soccer fields and consists of 17 sub-parks, four of which are already energized.

In a statement, Vale’s president, Eduardo Bartolomeo, stated that “The Sol do Cerrado is a unique project for Vale that brings local development, renewable energy, and is aligned with our goal of being leaders in sustainable mining.”

When operating at full capacity, the project will feature 1.4 million solar panels with an automatic tracking system that follows the sun’s movement throughout the day, ensuring better utilization of sunlight for energy generation.

Mega Plant Construction Focused on Local Labor

Initiated in January 2021, the Sol do Cerrado construction created about 3,000 jobs at the peak of activities, nearly 50% of the local workforce. Of this total, 16% are women.

For the construction, residents of the region were trained and hired to work on the site as mechanics, bricklayers, and professionals in industrial electrical installation.

According to Vale, once it reaches its maximum operating capacity, Sol do Cerrado will employ 90 permanent workers with various qualifications, including electricians, electrotechnicians, and general service assistants.

The project aims to further strengthen solar energy generation in Minas Gerais. Today, the state has the highest installed capacity for solar energy generation, followed by Bahia and Piauí.

Thus, the energy generated at Sol do Cerrado will be injected into the National Interconnected System (SIN), meaning it can be consumed in any region of Brazil.

Last year, Vale announced that its goal is to have 100% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources in Brazil by 2025 and globally by 2030. Therefore, the mega plant is part of the company’s strategy to zero its CO2 emissions by 2050.

According to the company, the energy generated by the mega plant in Jaíba will reduce Vale’s emissions by 134 thousand tCO2e/year, equivalent to the emissions from approximately 100 thousand compact cars.

Finally, Vale’s project will be presented at the Climate Conference (COP 27), which is taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.