Honda completes wind energy plant in Brazil

Honda Motor has completed the construction of its wind farm in Brazil to generate electricity matching the amount needed for the automaker’s four-wheel vehicle production in the country.

On Wednesday, the Japanese automaker held a ceremony in Xangri-la in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul to commemorate the completion of the facility, becoming the first automaker in Brazil to engage in efforts to offset electricity consumption at a vehicle plant, according to Honda.

In the project costing about 100 million reais (some ¥4.6 billion), the company set up nine units of wind turbines. Electricity generated at the plant will be transmitted to power grids in the state.

The automaker expects to produce about 95,000 megawatt-hours per year, equivalent to the amount consumed at its four-wheel vehicle factory in the state of Sao Paulo, which manufactures around 140,000 vehicles in a year.

Issao Mizoguchi, president of Honda’s local unit, said at the ceremony that the automaker has made efforts to develop technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions stemming from production activities and that the wind power plant signifies the realization of Honda’s dream.

Honda, which is constructing another factory in Sao Paulo, will consider building more wind power plants in Brazil, it said.

The automaker accounted for a 3.8 percent market share in Brazil, where around 3.77 million new vehicles were sold last year.