Hydro’s Mendubim solar plant comes into operation and begins supplying clean energy to Alunorte Alumina refinery

In July 2022, Hydro Rein, Equinor, and Scatec formed a partnership and started constructing this solar project in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. In less than two years, the project will be completed and begin operations to provide alternative renewable energy solutions to sustainable industries.

The head of Hydro Rein, Olivier Girardot, said: “We are thrilled to complete the first of Hydro Rein’s renewable energy projects in Brazil. Our mission is to develop renewable energy solutions for more sustainable industries, and Mendubim does just that. Most of the power output will go to Hydro’s alumina refinery Alunorte in Para, supporting one of the largest decarbonisation projects in the world. We are very proud to take part in this development together with Equinor and Scatec.”

As per the report, Alunorte will purchase approximately 60 per cent of the power produced at this solar plant to use it to decarbonise the refinement process and produce greener alumina. The remaining volume produced at the solar plant will be sold in the Brazilian power market.

Alunorte’s Operations Vice President, Carlos Neves, said: “We have a very robust roadmap to decarbonisation to produce greener alumina at the Alunorte refinery, which will bring us to be one of the lowest carbon emitting refineries in the world by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2040. With this project, we reinforce Hydro’s commitment to deliver zero-carbon aluminium products to customers and Alunorte is an important enabler of the overall ambition of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”