The Sertao I solar power plant tops the 2018 solar ranking drawn up by ePowerBay, a company with years of experience in the development and analysis of renewable energy projects in Brazil, and which develops a benchmark platform for the analysis of renewable energy projects.
The solar ranking drawn up by ePowerBay compares the efficiency of solar power projects based on the plant capacity factor, which is the ratio between annual production by the plants and the theoretical production obtained if the plants were to operate at nominal power throughout the period. ePowerBay uses the production values provided by the Electricity Chamber of Commerce (CCEE).
With a nominal output at the point of power delivery of 30 MW, Sertao I achieved a capacity factor of 28.6% by producing 75,096 MWh in 2018. The plant is located in the State of Piauí (north-east Brazil), a region with excellent solar resources that have been maximised thanks to some good operating results. Availability stood at 99.5% and performance at 80.2%.
The Sobral I plant is also among the top ten in this solar ranking, in ninth position, with a capacity factor of 27.8% after producing 73,093 MWh. Sobral I is also located in the State of Piauí, some 50 km from the Sertao I plant. Its solar resources and operating results were slightly lower than Sertao I but equally optimal, therefore positioning it among the 10 best plants. Its availability stood at 99.3% and its performance at 79.8%.
The two plants have an installed power capacity of 34.747 MW in direct current and market their energy based on the 7th auction for Reserve Energy Contracting promoted by the National Electricity Agency of Brazil in August 2015. This contracting process establishes a physical power guarantee of 7.8 MW on average with a nominal power at the point of delivery of 30 MW.
About Global Power Generation (GPG)
Global Power Generation (GPG) is the Naturgy Energy Group subsidiary dedicated to international power generation, with a 25% participation by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the world’s oldest sovereign wealth fund. The KIA participation in GPG is managed through Wren House Infrastructure Management, its platform for direct investments in infrastructure. GPG manages an installed capacity of around 4,000 MW and has a workforce of approximately 800 professionals.
