​​| ​Home > Innovation and Sustainability​ > International Technical Cooperation Projects > Experimental Projects

Experimental Projects

The experimental projects or pilot projects, planned and executed together with the electricity distribution concessionaires, are ways to develop, test and improve sustainable models of rural electrification using renewable energy.

The main objectives of these experimental projects are:

• Assist utilities in the challenge of meeting the goals of universal access to electricity in the country;

• Monitor and evaluate the results from the technical, financial, management and socioeconomic aspects;

• Promote the knowledge in the concessionaires about the planning, design, operation and maintenance of energy generation systems through renewable sources;
  

• Provide supported and reliable information to support regulatory bodies in improving regulation.

With the implementation of pilot projects, the responsible concessionaires acquire the necessary knowledge to replicate the models developed and the ability to disseminate the use of renewable energy in their concession area.

Meet the Xapuri pilot project, in Acre, the Araras pilot project, in Pará, and the 12 photovoltaic mini-plants project, in Amazonas:

Xapuri Pilot Project

The Xapuri pilot project was developed by Energisa Acre (former Companhia de Eletricidade do Acre - Eletroacre), with our partnership and the support of the government of Acre and the State Management Committee of the “Light for All” Program. The project was implemented in 2007, using solar home systems to serve around 100 families in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve, in the municipality of Xapuri, in Acre.

The project also had the participation of Cepel (Electric Energy Research Center), in studies, research and technical tests of equipment of the solar home systems used.

The results of the Xapuri pilot project related to the generation system, energy use, management model and equipment used were widely disseminated at congresses and seminars. The project information also contributed to the improvement of the current regulation on remote systems.

Araras Pilot Project

The Araras pilot project was developed by Equatorial Pará (former Centrais Elétricas do Pará - Celpa), with our partnership and support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), with the objectives of implementing and evaluating a sustainable model of rural electrification using decentralized generation systems with renewable energy sources and distribution by mini-grids.

The project was implemented in 2012 to serve around 80 households in the community of the Araras island, which is located in the Marajó archipelago, in the municipality of Curralinho, in Pará. Due to the geographic characteristics of the island, the service was provided through three collective photovoltaic systems and a collective hybrid system, which combines photovoltaic and wind technologies, with diesel generation as an alternative. Each system has a mini-grid for the distribution of low voltage electrical energy.

12 Photovoltaic Mini-plants Project

The experimental project for the implementation of 12 photovoltaic mini-plants was carried out by Amazonas Energia in six municipalities in Amazonas: Autazes, Barcelos, Beruri, Eirunepé, Maués and Novo Airão. The mini-plants were implemented in 2011, with powers ranging from 9.6 kWp to 16.8 kWp, to benefit 222 households through purely photovoltaic power generation systems and mini-grids distribution. The experimental project was monitored by the company, with our support and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), through the Technical Cooperation Project.