With an investment of 600 million Brazilian reais (around one million euros), Brazil will complete a solar complex that will be able to generate 5 million reais in revenues for the entire region. Furthermore, thanks to one of the investors, a female empowerment project was launched which saw the training of women for the installation of solar panels.
This is the Complexo Solar Irapuru, which includes seven parks with an installed capacity of 422 MWp. The project will complete the existing Janaúba Solar Complex, located in Janaúba, Minas Gerais, bringing the overall installed capacity to 1.6 GWp, enough to power 1.9 million homes.
The financing comes from the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) and will be stipulated with Irapuru Holding SA, which controls the companies of the seven parks. The remaining 50% of the investment will be covered with resources from the National Climate Change Fund (Climate Fund – 400 million Brazilian reais) and Finem (200 million Brazilian reais).
Irapuru will occupy 800 hectares for the installation of 750,000 bifacial solar modules and the project has currently reached approximately 70% of its physical progress, involving 1,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs.
The large Complexo Solar Janaúba was also financed by the BNDES with approximately 1.5 billion Brazilian reais. The Minas Gerais solar project has also created an initiative to train women in the region.
Through the free course “Women Fitters”, promoted by Elera Renováveis, shareholder of the project, in collaboration with the Gel – Cosampa and Array Consortium, 70 women, residents in the municipality of Janaúba and in the District of Quem-Quem, in the north of Minas Gerais , have been trained in the pre-assembly of solar trackers. During 20 hours of training, they received instructions at the unit of the Federal Institute of the North of Minas Gerais (IFNMG) on safety, environment, assembly and much more, with the support of experienced professionals.
These women are now part of the construction of the expansion of the Janaúba Solar Complex – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere – and are strengthening the presence of women in the renewable energy sector.
