Equinor has made the final investment decision on its 531MW Mendubim solar project in Brazil.
Mendubim is being developed as a joint venture between Scatec, Hydro Rein and Equinor, and is located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte.
All three partners have an equal stake of 33.3% in the project and will jointly provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services.
Operation and maintenance as well as asset management services to the power plant will be provided by Scatec and Equinor.
Mendubim is Equinor’s second large scale solar project in Brazil, following the 162MW Apodi solar plant (pictured) that was put in operation in 2018 in partnership with Scatec.
Senior vice president for power and markets within renewables at Equinor Olav Kolbeinstveit said: “With the Mendubim project, we expand our investments in renewables in Brazil considerably, and take an important step towards building a material solar portfolio in the country.
“From 2024 onwards, Mendubim will annually produce around 1.2TWh of power, which is equivalent to electricity consumption of 620,000 Brazilian households.
“Construction phase will create more than one thousand direct and indirect jobs.”
Total project capital expenditure (capex) is estimated to be around Us$430m (€409m).
The asset will be funded by a combination of project financing and equity contribution from partners.
Mendubim is expected to deliver real project-based returns in Equinor’s guided range for renewables of 4-8%.
Around 60% of the produced power will be sold on a 20-year USD-denominated power purchase agreement (PPA) with Alunorte, one of the world’s leading suppliers of alumina for the aluminium industry.
The remaining 40% of the production will be sold in the power market in Brazil.
The power trading services are expected to be provided by Hydro Energia and Equinor’s wholly owned energy trading house Danske Commodities.
Danske Commodities have recently established a trading office in São Paulo to support Equinor’s activity in the country.