The 438 megawatt (MW) solar complex Boa Sorte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has started commercial operation. The power plant will deliver renewable energy to the aluminium smelter Albras.

The solar plant consists of several projects and has been developed in a partnership between renewable energy solutions providers Hydro Rein and Atlas Renewable Energy, and Albras, a joint venture owned by Hydro and Nippon Amazon Aluminium Co. Ltd. (NAAC). With an installed capacity of 438 MW, Boa Sorte will generate about 920 GWh annually, equivalent to supplying over 394,000 Brazilian households.

“We are proud to reach this impressive achievement for a solar project contributing greatly to Hydro’s decarbonization journey in Brazil. Hydro Rein’s mission is to develop renewable energy solutions for more sustainable industries. This is what we’re doing with Boa Sorte,” says Head of Hydro Rein in Brazil, Marcela Jacob.

Boa Sorte is the second large-scale solar plant developed by Hydro Rein in Brazil. In the beginning of March 2024, Hydro Rein, together with partners Scatec and Equinor, started operations at the Mendubim solar plant in the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

The Boa Sorte development was delivered on time and on budget, and also illustrates Hydro Rein’s commitment to ambitious sustainability standards such as International Finance Corporation Performance Standards (IFC PS) and Equator Principles.

The Boa Sorte solar complex in Brazil
The 438 megawatt (MW) solar complex Boa Sorte will supply renewable energy to Albras, Brazil’s largest primary aluminum producer.

Boa Sorte will supply renewable energy to Albras, Brazil’s largest primary aluminum producer. The solar plant will supply about 12 percent of Albras’ total energy consumption, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), from 2025 to 2044.

“This is a significant milestone for Albras to secure our long-term strategy of greener aluminium production. With this investment we are securing Albras long term energy sourcing as well as diversifying our energy matrix, and by investing in renewable sources we reinforce our commitment to be part of the solution for the green transition. We want to contribute to creating a fair society by producing responsibly using renewable energy as concepted since the startup,” says João Batista Menezes, Albras CEO.

Hydro Rein has developed the project jointly with Atlas Renewable Energy, an international renewable energy company with a solid track record in Latin America.

“Boa Sorte is a significant project for us because it marked our initial PPA to supply clean energy to Albras. This successful collaboration has been repeated in Vista Alegre, which is currently under construction. Boa Sorte is also unique given it was our first solar project in Brazil to secure a dollar indexed loan from BNDES. Moreover, Boa Sorte stands as a testament to our commitment to delivering projects on time and on budget, contributing to our 100 percent completion rate track record,” says Fabio Bortoluzo, Country Manager for Atlas Renewable Energy in Brazil.