US-based power development company ContourGlobal has inaugurated the 160MW Asa Branca Wind Park, its first wind farm complex in Brazil.
The project required an investment of about $247.04m (R$ 600m), out of which $185.28m (R$ 450m) was financed by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social – BNDES).
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The Asa Branca project is located in Rio Grande do Norte, which is considered to have one of the world’s best wind resources created from the meeting of the cool Atlantic waters off the coast of Natal and the hot dry desert conditions of the interior.
While it was a challenge to take nearly 1000MW wind generation to a previously sparsely populated area, Asa Branca overcame it with the help of other wind companies in the region, the company noted.
The clean energy generated at the Asa Branca project will be enough to power around 300,000 homes.
ContourGlobal Latin America CEO Alessandra Marinheiro said: "We are delighted to contribute to the country’s development through another ContourGlobal investment in Brazil.
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By GlobalData"The Asa Branca Complex was built focused on safety, social responsibility, using the best engineering practices, and with the help of partners that ensured the high quality of the work. It is a model of success for ContourGlobal."
The project, which is the company’s third in the country, has created over 600 direct jobs and 2,000 indirect jobs.
Headquartered in New York, the company has approximately 3,000MW in operation across 18 countries and four continents.
The company also supported social programs like the environmental education program which helped about 3,500 people in the city of João Câmara.
ContourGlobal president and CEO Joseph C Brandt noted: "We are proud to inaugurate the Asa Branca facility, our first wind farm in Brazil and a significant addition to our Brazil renewable business and our broader Latin American generation operations.
"We look forward to continuing our growth in Brazil’s wind energy sector with our partners in a new 210 MW wind farm in Piauí state that was awarded at the Reserve Auction that took place last August and will require approximately R$ 780 million investment."
