SOROCABA, Brazil, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vale S.A., one
of the largest mining companies in the world, has chosen Nextracker
to supply its NX Horizon™ bifacially optimized smart solar trackers
for the Sol de Cerrado solar project in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The 766 megawatt (MWp) solar complex,
which will be one of the largest in Brazil, will help power Vale's mining
operations in the Jaíba area of Minas Gerais and will be
interconnected to the regional transmission grid. Initial
construction will begin later this year, with the project scheduled
for completion in 2022.
The project will play a major role in Vale's efforts to achieve
its corporate sustainability goals. Once operational, the Sol de
Cerrado solar project will provide 13 percent of the company's
total energy needs in Brazil and
offset GHG Protocol Scope 2 emissions by up to 136,407 tons of
CO2/ year. The company plans to produce 100 percent
of the energy needed for its Brazilian operations by 2025 and reach
carbon neutrality across its global footprint by 2050.
"Our decision was based on Nextracker's proven performance after
a thorough due diligence process," said Marco Braga, Vale's Global Procurement Director.
"We are very confident of Nextracker's experience and the
reliability of its products to support Vale in solving the
challenges of this important project."
Nextracker's regional office in Brazil will support the project with
engineering, commissioning, and asset management services as well
as advanced data analytics for preventive maintenance. Installation
crews will attend Nextracker's PowerworX Academy installer training
program to learn best practices on site and at the company's
training center in Sorocaba, São Paulo.
"Vale's Sol de Cerrado project is yet another example of how the
mining industry is embracing renewables as a reliable source of
generation to power operations and offset greenhouse gas
emissions," said Alejo Lopez,
Nextracker vice president of sales for Latin America. "We look forward to working
closely with Vale and deploying our smart solar trackers and
software to maximize plant performance while minimizing operational
costs for the 30-year-plus lifetime of the plant."
The Sol de Cerrado project is the second major Brazilian market
win for Nextracker this year and the latest addition to its growing
portfolio in the country. The company also recently secured a
contract to supply its bifacially optimized trackers to the 830 MW
Janaúba solar project in Minas Gerais and is mining industry's
solar tracker of choice in Australia.
Brazil is one of the
fastest-growing solar markets in the Latin American region, due in
part to its high irradiation levels and solar-friendly policies.
The country has 7.4 gigawatts of cumulative solar installations to
date. Minas Gerais is the top Brazilian state for solar power
capacity in the nation.
See here to learn more about Nextracker's advanced wind
engineering design and bifacial technology
capabilities.
About
Nextracker
Nextracker, a
Flex company, is a leader in the renewable energy transition,
providing critical yield-enhancing PV system technology, expertise
and strategic services to capture the full value and maximize the
efficiency of solar plants. Delivering the most comprehensive
portfolio of intelligent solar tracker and control software
solutions for solar power plants, Nextracker is transforming PV
plant performance with smart technology, data monitoring and
analysis services. For more information, please
visit Nextracker and follow us
on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Vale S.A.
Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) is a Brazilian multinational
corporation focused on the metals, mining, and transportation
sectors in Brazil and the world.
The Company is also one of the largest logistics operators and
manufacturers of iron ore, nickel, coal, manganese, ferroalloys and
copper in the world. In addition to mining, Vale operates key
transportation activity within Brazil including railways, ports, terminals
and state-of-the-art infrastructure for energy and steel
manufacturing. Vale operates in over 30 countries. For more
information, go to www.vale.com.
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