Piauí will have several new solar and wind power plants this year, increasing the state’s energy security, as well as generating jobs and income for the region’s inhabitants. The state has the largest companies in South America.

The forecast of the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) for this year, with the expansion of the generation matrix in Brazil, is for a production of 10.3 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity in the state. This is the highest level of capacity expansion since the start of monitoring by the energy sector entity, which foresees the entry into commercial operation of 298 solar and wind energy projects still in 2023. Of this total, 19 are planned for the state of Piauí.

In the wind energy segment, 16 plants with a capacity of 534.40 MW are being completed, with plans to start operations at the end of this year. In the biomass modality, a renewable energy source that can be generated mainly from sugarcane bagasse and wood, a plant with a production capacity of 8.50 MW is being built.

For Piauí, with all the planned modalities installed, in a total of 19 plants, the state has the capacity to produce 601.33 MW. The installation process of the wind and solar power plants, according to data from the energy sector entity itself, is underway.

Largest wind energy park is located in Piauí

Through the company Enel Green Power, a renewable generation subsidiary, Enel has developed and is operating in Brazil the largest wind farm in South America, Lagoa dos Ventos, located in the state of Piauí. Located in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio, the wind energy park is the largest currently in operation in South America.

The company recently started the development of the second expansion of the wind complex, with investments of approximately R$ 2.5 billion. The first expansion of the Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm, which began in 2020, is already partially operational and is expected to be fully completed by the end of this year.

Piauí has the largest solar plant in Latin America

The largest solar energy park in Latin America is being developed in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Gurguéia, in Piauí, with around 2.2 million solar panels also made available by Enel Green Power.