Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, STATKRAFT, has opened a wave of solar and battery farms. This game-changing announcement was made on the opening day of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) climate summit in Belém, Brazil. This major announcement underscores the Brazilian company’s commitment to a cleaner and more diverse renewable energy portfolio. With these new additions, the total capacity will jump to over 2.3 gigawatts (GW).
The newly inaugurated Morro do Cruzeiro solar plant, at superb 76 megawatts (MW) of capacity. The Santa Eugênia solar plant surpasses it with a capacity of 198 MW. The company recently completed and is about to commission the Serrita solar farm in Pernambuco state. This new project would bring another 69 MW to its portfolio by late this year/early next year. Combined, these projects will generate an estimated 789 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year, more than Norway’s current annual solar generation.
Environmental Impact and Emission Reductions
Statkraft’s investment in these projects total Nkr2.3 billion (about $227.04 million). The company estimates that the new solar farms will collectively save 111,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions each year. In addition, connecting 340 MW of clean energy will have a considerable positive impact on Brazil’s energy system. This contribution amounts to 5% of the new solar capacity projected by 2025.
We believe that this expansion is key to our future. Statkraft’s wider green transition scenarios reveal that if we make the best assumptions possible, we can still keep global warming to just 1.9°C. This is in direct support of the intent expressed in the company’s mission statement — to help the global climate effort by supporting local climate-positive developments.
Commitment to Local Communities
Thiago Tomazzoli, Statkraft Brazil’s country manager, said the company was committed to delivering a substantial social return on investment with these projects.
“We are committed to generating positive social impact by creating employment opportunities, enhancing local infrastructure, and establishing vocational training programmes.” – Thiago Tomazzoli
These efforts serve the dual purpose of increasing renewable energy generation while improving community health and local economic development.
Supporting Global Climate Goals
Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal, the CEO of Statkraft, noted how well these projects map to global sustainability objectives. She argued for making them a key part of tripling renewable energy capacity and leading a just transition off fossil fuels.
“These projects directly support the global goals to triple renewable energy capacity, ensure a just transition from fossil fuels, and foster local development in a sustainable way. This is green transition in practice, and a clear signal that Statkraft is delivering results that matter for Brazil and the global climate effort. We are proud of the deliveries we present here at COP.” – Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal
Statkraft is leading on climate change through action. During this commitment, we will work with them to make sure that local communities benefit from the transition to sustainable energy sources.