The Grupo CCR and EDP have officially inked a ten-year agreement for the provision of solar energy to the Anhanguera-Bandeirantes system, one of Brazil's key highway corridors, located primarily within São Paulo state. The contract calls for the supply of 1,460 megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar power annually, intended for 58 low-tension consumption points, such as toll booths and support points for users of the highways. This innovative arrangement is part of Brazil's growing emphasis on renewable energy solutions and shared generation models.
The solar energy will be sourced from photovoltaic plants installed across the municipalities of Iperó, Pirangi, and Leme (all within São Paulo). By adopting this contract, which accounts for approximately 3% of CCR's total energy demand, the group expects to curtail carbon dioxide emissions by about 56.19 tons annually. Financially, the initiative is projected to yield annual savings of around R$ 160,000.
Carlos Andrade, EDP's Vice President of Client Solutions for South America, expressed optimism about the agreement: "To facilitate the energy transition, alongside investments in renewable generation, energy supply contracts are fundamental, as they enable us to deliver renewable energy to more clients, sectors, and services across Brazil." This sentiment reflects the broader goal of integrating renewable energy sources within Brazil's infrastructure, particularly for one of the nation's largest energy consumers.
Pedro Sutter, CCR’s Vice President of Sustainability, Risks, and Compliance, underlined the company's commitment to sustainability. He stated, "Expanding the participation of renewable sources is central to our strategy for reducing the carbon footprint of our operations." CCR indicates it will meet its goal of powering all its urban mobility assets, highways, and airports with renewable electricity by the end of 2024—one year earlier than initially planned.
The initiative dovetails with EDP’s comprehensive strategy to expand its solar generation capabilities. Recently, the company also acquired 16 new solar plants from the Tangipar group for R$ 218 million. This acquisition includes installations across several Brazilian states, including Bahia, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Paraná, which collectively add 44.3 megawatts-peak (MWp) to EDP's renewable energy portfolio. This portfolio now consists of 90 operating solar plants generating 258 MWp, with additional facilities either completed or awaiting energization.
Part of the appeal of this energy model lies in distributed generation, enabling production near consumption sites. This approach allows for renewable energy to be dedicated to specific clients or shared among multiple users within the same concession area, thereby injecting generated energy directly to the grid, and translating it to credits which are then offset against client energy bills.
Sutter emphasized the urgency of renewables by stating, "This agreement stands not only as proof of progress but as part of our commitment to reinvent mobility and minimize our environmental impact across Brazil." EDP’s growing focus on distributed generation also highlights its strategic pivot toward more localized energy production, which is perceived as offering greater flexibility and opportunity compared to traditional, large-scale plants.
The partnership between Grupo CCR and EDP is, undoubtedly, part of broader trends toward energy sustainability and resilience, as Brazil looks to embrace more clean and renewable energy sources to support its infrastructural needs.
