On the 15th local time, Brazilian mining giant Vale disclosed that all of its electricity used in Brazil in 2023 comes from renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind, and solar energy. As a result, Vale has achieved its goal of achieving 100% renewable energy supply in Brazil two years ahead of schedule.
The latest "2023 Comprehensive Report" released by Vale stated that after achieving this goal, Vale has cleared its indirect greenhouse gas emissions generated domestically in Brazil. The company still faces the challenge of achieving 100% renewable energy supply globally by 2030, which has now been achieved by 88.5%.
"This is an important milestone in Vale's decarbonization strategy, which aims to reduce direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050." Ludmila Nascimento, Vale's Director of Energy and decarbonization, stated that Vale hopes to help Brazil develop clean energy and contribute to society's response to climate change.
Brazilian mining giant Vale is located in the Cerrado Solar Park in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The photovoltaic modules and spare parts in the park are provided by Chinese companies. Vale supply map
The Sol do Cerrado solar park, which was launched in November 2022, is the key to achieving Vale's goals two years ahead of schedule. The park is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and costs 590 million US dollars. Cerrado Sunshine is one of the largest solar energy parks in Latin America, with an installed capacity of 766 megawatts (MWp), equivalent to the electricity consumption of an 800000 residential city. In July 2023, the "Cerrado Sun" reached its maximum power generation capacity and will be able to meet approximately 16% of Vale's domestic electricity demand in Brazil. It is worth mentioning that the photovoltaic modules and spare parts used in the "Serrado Sunshine" are provided by Chinese companies.
It is known that in the 1990s, Vale began exploring ways to achieve 100% renewable energy supply and acquired the first hydroelectric power plant. Nowadays, Vale has a renewable energy generation portfolio with a total installed capacity of 2.6 gigawatts, equivalent to the electricity consumption of over 3 million residents. Vale owns 14 power plants through direct and indirect investment, including 10 hydroelectric power plants, 3 wind power plants, and 1 solar power plant (known as the Cerrado Sun Solar Park). If Vale is considered as an electricity supplier, its power generation capacity can rank 15th in Brazil. (End)