Nextracker Supporting Major New Solar Power Projects in Brazil

One of Brazil’s largest renewable energy developers, mostly known for its wind power projects, is adding significant solar power generation capacity to its portfolio. Casa dos Ventos, which has developed one of every four wind power facilities in Brazil and has about 35 GW of renewable energy deployed in the country, will utilize equipment from U.S.-based Nextracker to supply more than 1.5 GW of new solar capacity across four projects.

The companies on August 12 said Nextracker’s NX Horizon-XTR all-terrain solar tracker, and NX Horizon solar tracker systems, will support the utility-scale installations. The four projects include Babilônia Sul (117 MW), Babilônia Centro (226 MW), Seriemas (540 MW), and Rio Brilhante (680 MW). These sites are located in the municipalities of Morro do Chapéu and Várzea Nova in Bahia, and Rio Brilhante and Seriemas in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Casa dos Ventos recently announced a joint venture with TotalEnergies to jointly develop, build, and operate its renewable energy portfolio in Brazil, including hydrogen and green ammonia projects. Casa dos Ventos is a signatory of the UN Global Compact and works in alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and best ESG practices, which include preserving local biomes, developing social projects in the communities where it operates, and contributing to a low-carbon economy.

First Utility-Scale Solar Deployment

“Partnering with Nextracker gives us confidence in the long-term performance and reliability of our projects,” said Thiago Rezende, construction and operations director at Casa dos Ventos. “Nextracker’s strong track record, focus on engineering excellence, and ability to deliver high-quality solutions make it a trusted technology partner for the future.”

This agreement marks Casa dos Ventos’ first utility-scale solar deployment. The company said it’s a significant step in its strategy to develop hybrid power plants that integrate solar and wind at shared grid interconnection points. Brazilian energy officials have said companies are now working to combine complementary energy resources and share infrastructure and available land, helping hybrid plants optimize grid capacity.

“Securing a multi-project commitment from a renewable energy leader like Casa dos Ventos reflects the growing importance of trusted partnerships when it comes to performance and long-term reliability in today’s solar industry,” said Alejo Lopez, vice president, Nextracker Latin America. “We are honored to support Casa dos Ventos with solutions that are engineered for resilience and optimized for each of its unique environmental site conditions.”

Tracker Systems

Three of the four new projects—Babilônia Sul, Babilônia Centro, and Seriemas—are deploying NX Horizon-XTR all-terrain tracker systems, purpose-built for hilly and undulating landscapes, providing significant savings on earthworks and grading. All sites will incorporate Nextracker’s TrueCapture yield management and control system, which uses advanced sensor technology and machine learning to continuously adjust tracker angles to ensure expected energy generation in dynamic lighting and uneven terrain conditions.

Nextracker has a strong and expanding presence in utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects in Brazil and across Latin America. The company’s products support more than 130 GW of generation capacity in more than 40 countries.

Brazil, which at present receives more than 80% of its electricity from renewable resources, has a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The country has significant hydro and wind power resources, and aims to significantly expand its solar capacity.

ABSOLAR—the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy—has said the country is expected to add 13.2 GW of new solar capacity this year, reaching a total of 64.7 GW by year-end. Investments in the solar power sector are projected to exceed $7 billion, according to the group.

—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.