Atlas Renewable Energy is to supply electricity to mining company Anglo American from the 330MW Atlas Casablanca solar farm in Brazil.
The 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) will start in 2022 and deliver about 9 terrawatt-hours of electricity from the project located in the region of Minas Gerais.
The deal, worth BRL881m (€168m), is part of Anglo American’s strategy to use 100% renewable energy for its operations in Brazil from 2022 and reduce by 30% its CO2 emissions by 2030.
Anglo American chief executive in Brazil Wilfred Bruijn said: “With this agreement and the contract for the construction of a wind power plant in Bahia signed in December, we will now be sourcing 90% of our energy from renewable sources, leading to a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions associated with our activities.”
Atlas Renewable Energy CEO Carlos Barrera said: “Atlas is leading in the new trend of providing clean energy directly to large energy consumers.
“The forms of supply are being transformed, making clean sources available to large companies, thus reducing their carbon footprint and production costs.
“Atlas is proud of pioneering, once again, the bilateral solar PPA in a new Latin American country.
“Our team was the first to implement a solar Private PPA in Chile some eight years ago, and now we do so in Brazil.
“We would like to acknowledge and congratulate Anglo-American’s leadership for their commitment to become a more sustainable institution.”
Atlas Renewable Energy general manager for Brazil Luis Pita said: “This contract represents a leadership position by Anglo American to demonstrate its commitment to the use of renewable energy in its operations, as well as Atlas’s ability to develop bilateral contracts for clean energy supply with top-level companies that share our interest in protecting and preserving the environment.
“The Atlas Casablanca project will be an important step in the development of the solar power in a state as important as Minas Gerais.”