Statkraft targets Brazil's first battery auction

Norway's Statkraft is considering taking part in Brazil’s first exclusive energy storage auction.

“We're going to evaluate the conditions of the auction and eventually take part. It's a technology that we've developed in other countries,” local CEO Fernando de Lapuerta told BNamericas.

In September, the mines and energy ministry (MME) launched a public consultation to discuss the rules of the auction, which has been recommended for 2025. 

The backup capacity tender incorporates energy storage systems, which offer an instant response and operational flexibility, with maximum energy availability of four hours a day and 30MW capacity.

Statkraft is one of the largest wind power generators in Brazil, with more than 2.2GW of installed capacity including projects under construction and in operation. 

Today, the company has 24 hydroelectric and wind generation plants in operation in the southeast, south and northeast regions.

“We’re building two solar projects, which will be hybrid. They will connect to the two wind farms we inaugurated this year in Bahia: Ventos de Santa Eugênia and Morro do Cruzeiro,” De Lapuerta said. 

Together they will have capacity of 274MWp solar and 678MW wind. When completed, the two hybrid complexes will reach almost 1GW of installed power. Construction has already begun and is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2025.  

The company is also building the Serrita complex, a solar park in Salgueiro, 518km from Recife in Pernambuco state.

Curtailment

Regarding the cuts in wind and solar generation (curtailment) imposed by national grid operator ONS, De Lapuerta believes that this is a one-off problem that will be resolved.

“We have a positive long-term vision for Brazil, which is a country with lots of resources and opportunities. We hope there will be a satisfactory solution for all parties involved,” he said.

The associations representing the solar (Absolar) and wind (Abeeólica) sectors have filed a lawsuit in the Brazilian courts to secure financial compensation for the cuts.

According to Abeeólica's press office, the hearing on the issue that was scheduled for last week has been removed from the court’s agenda and no new date has yet been set.