Equinor takes a new step in the power business with the launch of its first hybrid power complex that combines solar and wind resources.
Equinor and its Brazilian subsidiary Rio Energy have started commercial power production at the Serra da Babilônia Solar facility in Brazil. Strategically co-located with the existing Serra da Babilônia Wind, this represents the first hybrid asset in Equinor’s power portfolio, comprising 140 MW of solar and 223 MW of wind capacity.
'Hybrid projects that effectively integrate solar and wind technologies support a stable and reliable energy supply while enhancing value creation, in line with Equinor’s strategy. Such projects and the integration of technologies will be important for building a competitive power business,' says Helge Haugane, executive vice president for Power at Equinor.
Hybrid projects take advantage of the complementary nature of solar and wind resources, which generate power at different times of the day and throughout different seasons. This helps to reduce the intermittency associated with renewable power generation and enhance grid stability.
Further, Serra da Babilônia Solar leverages synergies from the operating wind facility by sharing existing infrastructure on site, and by achieving efficiencies during the operations and maintenance phase. This results in material cost savings for the hybrid complex compared to a standalone solar asset.
Accumulated annual production from Serra da Babilônia Solar is estimated at 236 GWh of power per year, which is equivalent to the consumption of 143,000 Brazilian households. The produced energy will be sold in the Brazilian power market by Equinor’s energy trading house, Danske Commodities.
'Brazil is a key area for Equinor’s long-term growth. Building on a solid portfolio of oil and natural gas, including Raia that will supply around 15% of Brazil’s total gas demand, we are advancing towards a more integrated and diverse energy offering in the country. With Serra da Babilônia Solar operational, we now have around 600 MW of solar and wind capacity in power production, which we can further optimize through our trading arm Danske Commodities based in São Paulo,' says Veronica Coelho, senior vice president and country manager for Equinor Brazil.
Serra da Babilônia Solar is the first project delivered by Rio Energy as a wholly owned subsidiary of Equinor. Acquired in 2023 with an operating onshore wind complex of 223 MW and a pipeline of projects, Rio Energy is Equinor’s platform for growth in onshore power production in Brazil, bringing more than 10 years of experience in the Brazilian market.
Equinor’s power portfolio in Brazil
The power portfolio in commercial operation totals around 600 MW in equity capacity:
- The Serra da Babilônia 1 onshore wind complex (223 MW) and the Serra da Babilônia Solar complex (140 MW) in the state of Bahia are operated by Equinor’s subsidiary, Rio Energy, and are fully owned by Equinor.
- Equinor is also a partner in the Apodi solar complex (162 MW) in the Ceará state and the Mendubim complex of solar plants (531 MW) in the Rio Grande do Norte state. The assets are operated by Scatec, with Equinor holding respective shares of 43.5% and 30%.
Additionally, there is a 1.5 GW pipeline of onshore wind and solar project opportunities being matured by Rio Energy.
Equinor’s wholly owned trading arm, Danske Commodities, through its trading office in São Paulo, supports Equinor’s market-driven approach to building a value creating power portfolio in Brazil.
Source: Equinor
