Norway–based Equinor is taking a new step in the power business with the launch of its first hybrid power complex. Equinor and its Brazilian subsidiary Rio Energy have started commercial power production at the Serra da Babilônia Solar facility in Brazil. Strategically co-located with the existing Serra da Babilônia Wind, this represents the first hybrid asset in Equinor’s power portfolio, comprising 140 MW of solar and 223 MW of wind capacity.
Hybrid projects take advantage of the complementary nature of solar and wind resources, which helps to reduce the intermittency associated with renewable power generation.
Serra da Babilônia Solar exploits synergies from the operating wind facility by sharing existing infrastructure on site, and by achieving efficiencies during the operations and maintenance phase. Accumulated annual production from the plant is estimated at 236 GWh per year which will be sold in the Brazilian power market by Equinor’s energy trading house, Danske Commodities.
With Serra da Babilônia Solar operational, Equinor has around 600 MW of solar and wind capacity in power production. Serra da Babilônia Solar is the first project delivered by Rio Energy as a wholly owned subsidiary of Equinor, which was acquired in 2023 with an operating onshore wind complex of 223 MW and a pipeline of projects.
