For Neoenergia, the fight against climate change is a guideline for its business, strengthening its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In line with Iberdrola's global policy, its parent company, the company has the goal of neutralizing carbon emissions by 2050. One of the strategies is the massive investment in wind power, a clean, renewable source​ that does not emit carbon dioxide in its operation. This June 15, when the Global Wind Day is celebrated, the company reinforces this positioning. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, the company invested R$ 416 million in wind power generation - about 25% of the total invested during the period - especially in projects under implementation. Currently, the company has an installed capacity of 516 MW in wind energy. By 2023, the group's power output will triple, reaching 1.6 GW, with the conclusion of the new Chafariz (PB) and Oitis (PI and BA) complexes.

'Neoenergia has as one of its pillars the expansion and robust investment in natural and inexhaustible resources, such as wind. With this, it contributes to the planet's sustainable development, since wind energy is considered clean, for not emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, besides generating economic and social development for the country', says the Neoenergia's Renewable Business Development superintendent, Thaisa Almeida.​

According to the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEólica), wind generation corresponds to 10.3% of the national electric matrix, or 19 GW of installed capacity. By 2024, this number is expected to reach 28 GW. Neoenergia contributes to this scenario through its 44 wind farms, all allocated in the Northeast, 17 in operation and 27 under construction. Thus, the company accounts for about 5% of wind power generation in the region, and is expected to grow 15% by 2022.

Expansion

Still this year, Neoenergia will take another step in the expansion of wind power generation in Brazil - when the 15 farms of the Chafariz Wind Complex will start operating. Located in Paraíba, the project has an installed capacity of 471.2 MW. The Complex will also have operational synergy with other Neoenergia assets, such as the Luzia solar complex, the company's first two photovoltaic generation parks intended for trading energy in the free market. With operations expected to start in the second half of 2022, the construction work has already begun.

The Oitis Wind Complex, with 12 wind farms under construction between Piauí and Bahia, will have 566.5 MW of power and will be Iberdrola's largest wind project in Latin America. The company has a robust and sustainable portfolio of projects under development, and is also betting on acquisitions that add value, such as the reported purchase of a wind power project to complement the existing portfolio with potential of approximately 400 MW in Serra da Gameleira, in the state of Bahia, in 2020.

The initiatives also contribute to job and income generation, providing social and environmental benefits for the regions of the parks under construction. In Oitis, about 40% of the labor employed is local since the beginning of construction work, between November 2020 and January 2021. Until the delivery of the new project, it´s expected to create 1.5 thousand jobs. In Chafariz, 1.4 thousand jobs were created in the region. Together, the works should exceed more than 3 thousand jobs in the Brazilian Northeast when they are completed.​

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Neoenergia SA published this content on 15 June 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 21 June 2021 19:44:00 UTC.