GreenYellow supplying more renewable power to Brazilian telcos

French energy solutions firm GreenYellow is expanding its renewable energy footprint in the Brazilian telecoms industry.

Under a 44mn-real (US$8.38mn) contract, Rio de Janeiro-based telco Oi hired GreenYellow for a project that includes leasing capacity from photovoltaic solar plants. The French firm had already secured a contract with Claro, which was announced in June.

Under the terms of the deal with Oi, GreenYellow will supply the carrier with energy from four solar plants located in Minas Gerais, Goiás and Mato Grosso states and the Federal District.

In all, the operator is expected to receive 14.44MWp of installed capacity, capable of generating 21.2GWh of power per year, which is reportedly sufficient to supply a significant contingent of Oi’s radio base stations, the energy firm said.

The initial aim of the contract, however, is to reduce energy expenses for lightning and air conditioning at the company’s offices, which could be up to 50% lower in some cases, according to GreenYellow.

This process began with the supply of renewable energy to four Oi buildings in Goiás state.

GreenYellow also said the “umbrella” contract allows for the inclusion of new batches of projects depending on the need to improve energy performance in other areas of Oi’s operations.

Of the 2,000 energy efficiency projects that GreenYellow has implemented worldwide, 1,000 are in Brazil, where it has been operating since 2013, the company said.

GreenYellow said energy saving projects across Brazil led to the non-consumption of 680GWh as of the end of 2019, which the firm claims to be enough to supply more than 360,000 homes for a year.

Besides Brazil, in Latin America GreenYellow has an office in Colombia and is also active in Panama and Chile.

Oi considers the contract to be part of its sustainability program, which is not limited to GreenYellow. In April, Oi started operations in Minas Gerais state at the first solar plants of a total of 25 contracted for this year from Solar Grid.

All major Brazilian telcos are going solar in order to make cost reductions and become carbon neutral.

In addition to GreenYellow, Claro Brasil is also working with the local unit of Spain’s EDP for supply of solar energy.

Telefônica Brasil, meanwhile, is working with Hy Brazil, Centrais Elétricas Salto dos Dardanelos and TMW Energy.

TIM reports having more than 15 companies involved in its renewable energy projects. By the end of 2020, TIM intends to have 60% of its energy matrix coming from renewable sources, leading to savings of up to 22% in energy costs.