OREANDA-NEWS. August 9, 2011. The first MPX solar plant was inaugurated on  Thursday, August 4. The MPX plant is the first in the first solar power unit in the country to be linked to the Brazilian power grid. Attended by over 300 guests, the ceremony was held at venture site, in  Taua, in the State of Ceara. Besides federal, state and municipal authorities, the event counted on the presence of MPX President –Director and EBX Group Engineering and Implementation Director Eduardo Karrer;  MPX Implementation and Operations Director Marcus Temke,; MPX Corporate Management Director Ana Beatriz Fernandes and EBX Group Sustainability Director Paulo Monteiro. “We are very proud of our participation in this pioneering event. We are confident about the development of this power source in the medium and long run,  and we are sure that this is just the beginning of a journey towards further knowledge on solar power in the Brazilian power industry country”, Eduardo Karrer.

Plant enlargement

During the event,  MPX and GE signed a plant enlargement agreement. Under this agreement,  the American corporation will supply the full package of photovoltaic equipment and systems technology needed to expand solar plant capacity from  1 MW to 2 MW. Venture enlargement is scheduled to start this month and start-up is scheduled for the first semester of 2012.

Because of the expansion, 6.9 thousand new panels will be installed at the solar plant. In the whole, there will be 11,580 solar modules catching sunlight and transforming it into electricity.  The agreement with  MPX marks the entry of GE in the Brazilian solar energy market.  “ GE is honored to be part of the solar power business in Brazil. The possibility of using a renewable natural resource to generate power for million of Brazilians  fully in line with GE goal of seeking increased access and higher living standards by offering products  and solutions in the more than 100 countries where our company is doing business“, GE Latin America President and CEO said.

Learn more about  MPX Taua

Today, the first solar unit in the country features 1 megawatt (MW) installed capacity, which is power enough to meet the needs of 15 thousand families in the region. Plant site extends over an area of 12 thousand square meters and it relies on the efficiency of 4,680 photovoltaic  panels  installed to absorb sunlight to be changed into electricity. This unit was the target of investments of approximately RUSD  de 10 million besides a capital contribution  of RUSD  1.2 million by the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB).