Wind energy in Brazil: Nordex wind turbines for a wind farm in Piaui

The Nordex Group has now secured a major contract for the delivery of 65 AW125/3000 wind turbines. The “Lagoa do Barro” project is composed of eight individual wind farms that will be installed in the state of Piaui in north-eastern Brazil. The wind power systems are to be delivered and installed from mid-2017.

The turbines are designed to make optimum use of the high wind speeds prevailing at these sites. Accordingly, the project planners expect to achieve an above-average capacity factor of around 58%.

The customer and future operator of the wind farms is Atlantic Renewable Energy, a developer and operator of wind and hydropower projects in Brazil. The company is owned by private equity fund Actis, one of the leading investors in the fast-growing emerging markets.

With their commitment to sustainability, both companies are focusing on efficient power stations which can be operated with a minimum environmental impact. Moreover, the projects have been structured to increase local manufacturing content. For this reason, the Nordex Group will be using locally produced towers for the “Lagoa do Barro” complex. “This reduces capex, minimises the environmental impact and creates local jobs,” explains Patxi Landa, Chief Sales Officer at Nordex SE.

The Group has installed wind power capacity of more than 21 GW in over 25 markets, generating sales of EUR 3.4 billion in 2016. It currently has roughly 5,000 employees. The production network comprises plants in Germany, Spain, Brazil, the United States and India. The product range primarily concentrates on onshore turbines in the 1.5 – 3.9 MW class addressing the requirements of developed as well as emerging markets.