Solar Americas Capital and Ambev announce the operational launch of a large-scale, behind-the-meter solar power plant in Brazil. The installation is located in Cachoeiras do Macacu, Rio de Janeiro, and has a peak power generation capacity of 5MW, with approximately 9000 solar panels installed adjacent to AMBEV’s factory.
The behind-the-meter solution means that the solar installation generates energy and delivers it directly to the consumer without accessing the distribution network. “One of the key benefits of the behind-the-meter deployment is linked to the simultaneity between energy generation and its consumption, ensuring that AMBEV has access to 100% certifiable and renewable energy while also benefiting from lower costs by eliminating the need for the transmission and distribution network”, says Christian Ferrari, Strategic Sourcing AB InBev. “We are happy to see the results and partner with Solar Americas in this long-term strategic project”, complements Christian.
The solar plant will generate close to 7.000 MWh of clean energy per year, equivalent to the consumption of 3.000 houses. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, each MWh generated by solar energy in Brazil avoids more than 300 kg of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere (the average emission factor for Brazil in 2023 was 0.3785 tCO2/MWh). This means the installation also prevents more than 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to planting north of 100.000 trees. “The project demonstrates Ambev’s commitment to environmental protection and innovation. We are proud to be selected to work with such a great team at Ambev”, Tiago Alves, Co-Founder and Commercial Director of Solar Americas.
The increasing demand from commercial and industrial companies for renewable energy is very important for the energy transition, which will have positive environmental, social, and governance impacts. Distributed and on-site renewable energy generation optimizes the energy network infrastructure and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar photovoltaics addresses the energy trilemma by providing security, affordability, and accessibility. In this context, “Solar Americas co-funds, identifies, builds and manages solar assets for commercial and industrial partners, drawing on over 25 years of experience working in the UK and Brazilian solar and finance markets. The launch of the Cachoeiras do Macacu solar plant marks a major step forward for Solar Americas, which remains committed to providing affordable, clean, and renewable energy solutions to its customers around the world”, says Jose Tenorio, Co-Founder and Financial Director of Solar Americas.
