Brazil's Comerc sees growth potential in renewable energy

Despite Brazil's energy oversupply scenario, Comerc believes in the growth potential of the local market. 

“We’re confident that there are viable opportunities to maintain and continue our expansion plan,” Eduardo Soares, VP of renewable energy generation at the subsidiary of Vibra Energia, told BNamericas. 

Comerc has 2.1GW of renewable energy in operation, including wind and centralized and distributed generation (DG) solar power. 

After delivering the Várzea photovoltaic plant (118MWp) in Minas Gerais in June, the company plans to reach 450MWp in DG alone by 2025. 

“As part of this expansion plan, we’ll be on the lookout for opportunities that suit our strategy, whether for onshore or floating plants,” said Soares. 

Last week, Comerc signed a joint venture with KWP Energia to build Brazil's largest floating solar park in São Paulo.   

Located on the Billings reservoir, the project consists of a set of plants, some of which are already in operation. 

With the expansion, which will require an investment of 400mn reais (US$71mn), the park will have installed capacity of 112MWp, enough to supply the equivalent of around 64,000 homes.

 The floating solar park at the Billings reservoir

The recently privatized Empresa Metropolitana de Águas e Energia (EMAE), which holds the Billings concession, will also have a stake in the joint venture.

One of the largest clients of the plants is Santander Brasil, through TOOLS Digital Services, a company that offers services and solutions to different sectors. The plants will supply part of the energy to 160 Santander branches in São Paulo state and metropolitan region.