Brazil launches first stage of 10-MWp floating PV demo

Mar 4, 2016 16:04 CET by Lucas Morais

March 4 – A floating solar power plant began operations today at Brazil’s Balbina hydropower plant (HPP), being one of two systems in a research and development (R&D) project targeting up to 10 MWp.

The government will switch on one more such plant, at Sobradinho HPP, on March 11. The floating photovoltaic (PV) arrays are planned to deliver 1 MWp each at the first stage of the project.

If the systems are proven successful, the government will add a further 4 MWp per site by October 2017. The R&D project will end with the presentation of the results in January 2019, said the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Brazilian power utilities Eletronorte and Chesf will invest BRL 100 million (USD 26.8m/EUR 24.5m) in total in the R&D project. Balbina and Sobradinho were chosen due to their location in areas with different climatic regimes, thus performance of the floating PV systems will be analysed in various weather conditions.

Similar research projects have been undertaken in other countries, but not at HPP’s, noted the government.

(BRL 1 = USD 0.268/EUR 0.245)

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