Up to 123 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is to be built in Brazil after the state of Pernambuco auctioned the rights to six projects.
Recursos Hidricos e Energeticos (SRHE), the energy agency of Pernambuco, held its first solar-only energy auction at the end of December that attracted an average price of BRL228.6/MWh.
The six projects will range in capacity from 5 to 30 MW and will require a total investment of $251 million. Enel Green Power won two contracts to build two 5 MW projects, while a subsidiary of Germany's Sowitec was awarded one 30 MW contract.
Solar energy development in Brazil has so far been limited because of the price of the technology relative to wind and hydropower. Recent renewable energy auctions held by the Brazilian government - including one in November that was the first to include solar energy - failed to award any solar power projects.
Enel Green Power will build Fonte Solar 1 and Fonte Solar 2 in the northeastern state. The Italian firm is also developing an 80 MW wind farm in the same vicinity and says that the solar plants will be able to feed into the wind farm's substation.
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