The Rio do Vento is an approximately 1GW onshore wind power complex being developed in two phases in the Rio Grande do Norte state of Brazil.
Casa dos Ventos Energias Renovaveis is the developer of the project. The installed capacities of phase one and phase two will be 504MW and 534MW respectively.
The construction of phase one is underway since 2020 with the start of operations expected in the second half of 2021, while the installation of wind turbines in phase two is expected in the fourth quarter of 2022 with the start of operations expected in 2023.
The investment on phase one and phase two are expected to be approximately £490m ($616m) and £468m ($600m) respectively.
Upon completion, the Rio do Vento wind is expected to be the biggest wind power complex in Latin America.
Location
The Rio do Vento onshore wind farm complex is located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in northern Brazil.
Rio do Vento phase one make-up
Phase one of the Rio do Vento onshore wind power project will comprise 106 V150 4.2MW wind turbines from Vestas.
With a rotor diameter of 150m, each onshore wind turbine will have a swept area of approximately 17,671m2. The cut-in speed of the wind turbine will be 3m/s, and the gearbox of each turbine will comprise two planetary stages and one helical stage.
Phase two make-up facility
The Rio do Vento onshore wind park phase two will comprises 29 V150 4.3MW and 91 V150 4.5MW wind turbines from Vestas.
The project also involves the construction of a 34.5kV/500kV collector substation along with 24km of power transmission lines.
Finance
The Rio do Vento phase one project is being financed by Brazilian Economic Development Bank (BNDES) and Banco do Nordeste (BNB).
Power purchase agreements
Anglo American will consume 195MW of electricity from phase one of the Rio do Vento onshore wind power project under a shareholder agreement signed with Casa dos Ventos in June 2020. The agreement will be valid until 2041.
Moura Group, the largest battery manufacturer in South America, also signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project in July 2020.
Vulcabras Azaleia signed a PPA for the supply of 7MW of electricity for a period of 13 years starting from 2022 in June 2020.
Brazilian Digital Solutions Company TIVIT signed a PPA with Casa dos Ventos for the power supply to the company’s 30 offices and four data centres in May 2020. The PPA will be effective from 2022.
Contractors involved
Casa dos Ventos signed the turbine supply contracts with Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas for phase one and phase two of the Rio do Vento onshore wind power complex in June 2019 and December 2020 respectively.
Vestas will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance services of the wind turbines for a period of 20 years.
Hill International was contracted by Casa dos Ventos to provide engineering and construction management services for the Rio do Vento phase two project in March 2020.
