Italian utility Enel is hoping that Brazil will play a major part in its plans to rapidly expand its wind power business.
The company’s Latin American subsidiaries have signed a project development agreement with SoWiTec do Brasil Energias Alternativas Ltda, an affiliate of the German developer SoWiTec International GmbH, to develop wind power projects in Brazil with a total capacity of up to 1000 MW.
The agreement gives Enel the exclusive rights to eight projects in the north-east of Brazil that are already under development by SoWiTec. The move will allow Enel to increase its presence in Brazil’s renewable energy market as well as move towards its target of reaching 5000 MW of installed wind power capacity worldwide by 2012.
The projects are located in the states of Cearà, Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe, all of which have a high wind potential, says Enel. They are all at an early stage of development with capacities of between 56 and 200 MW each.
SoWiTec will continue project development and planning, while the deal gives Enel the right to acquire the projects on completion.
Brazil’s overall wind potential is estimated to be around 147 GW. The country’s current installed wind capacity is 247 MW, with 149 MW under construction.
Enel currently operates 20 small hydropower plants in Brazil with a total capacity of 92 MW. It has a worldwide installed wind capacity of just over 1000 MW.
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