The Belmonte photovoltaic solar farm has officially started commercial operation

On July 27th, the Belmonte photovoltaic plant in São José do Belmonte, Pernambuco, Brazil, began operations, generating around 100 megawatts (MW) out of a total installed capacity of 570 MW. The plant has been connected to Brazil’s electrical grid, supplying 100% renewable energy. Cobra spearheaded the development, construction, and commissioning of the solar park, which spans over 1,000 hectares and houses 1.5 million solar panels.

The construction phase of the park created approximately 1,900 jobs, many of which were local. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to generate around 1,200 GWh of renewable energy annually, covering about 21% of the residential consumption in Pernambuco, equivalent to the yearly energy needs of 723,000 homes in the region. This renewable energy production will prevent the annual emission of over 109,000 tons (109 million kg) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a reduction comparable to the amount of CO2 absorbed each year by more than 652,000 mature trees.