Search sponsor
Neoenergia and Odebrecht Energia have started to construct a 1MWp PV array at the new Arena Pernambuco football stadium located in the Brazilian city of Recife.
The project is part of the research and development programme called Technical and Commercial Arrangements for Insertion of Solar Photovoltaic Generation in the Brazilian Energy Matrix launched in August 2011 by the National Agency of Electric Energy (ANEEL).
The PV installation required an investment of around BRL10.2 million (US$5.1 million), of which BRL9 million was provided by Neoenergia whilst the remaining BRL1.2 million was provided by Odebrecht Energia.
The PV array was designed and developed by the Institute of Solar Energy of the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Institute of Electrical and Energy of the University of São Paulo (USP) as well as the American National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
However, Gehrlicher Solar Ecoluz do Brasil, a joint venture established by Brazil-based Ecoluz Participations and Germany-based Gehrlicher Solar, will be responsible for the overall design and installation of the PV plant which is being constructed by Odebrecht Infrastructure.
Located on an area of 14,500 square metres, the PV array will be built within the football stadium. All electricity generated by the system will be consumed directly by the arena.
The BRL500 million Arena Pernambuco football stadium is currently under construction and is due to officially open in July 2013. Construction of the 46,000 seat arena began in October 2010 but the project has been delayed as a result of worker strikes, pushing the initial inauguration date from April 2013 to July 2013.
