The Government of the Brazilian state of Piaui has authorised operation of a 300MW wind farm owned by renewable power generation company Ventos de São Zacarias (VSZ).

Expected to start operating in 30–90 days, the wind farm is expected to create 3,000 jobs in Piaui.

The operating licence is valid until 2028 and may be renewed. It was issued by the Secretariat of Environment and Water Resources, which also provided technical support for the project’s environmental feasibility study.

European manufacturer Nordex is supplying AW-125/3000 model turbines for the project and Elecnor Brasil has constructed the farm.

VSZ is in the process of installing 80 wind turbines across Simões with a planned capacity of 456MW, enough to power 1.2 million homes in Brazil. According to the company, this is one of the largest wind farm clusters in Latin America.

Piaui Secretary of the Environment Daniel Oliveira commented: “We greatly support this type of project, prioritising the promotion of sustainable development combined with care for the environment.”

The Piaui Government has stated its intention to maintain Piaui’s prominent position as one of Brazil’s largest generators of renewable energy.

In June, the Piaui Government signed a memorandum of understanding with solar company Solatio for a 4GW solar complex. As Brazil’s largest solar energy park, it will aid in the production of ammonia and green hydrogen once installation begins in 2025.

According to Power Technology’s parent company, GlobalData, Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy plans to diversify the country’s power mix to reduce the risk of electricity shortages.

In August, Brazil was forced to cut its hydropower generation due to severe droughts on the river Madeira. The country is the second-largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world but has turned to alternative power sources such as wind and solar to meet demand.