Beyond energy, a
socio-environmental
commitment
The Caatinga is the only fully Brazilian biome, a unique vegetation located in the Northeastern Region of the Country. Among several states in the region, it occupies the interior of Bahia, covering municipalities such as Canudos, Jeremoabo and Euclides da Cunha.
The landscape of this territory represents the strength and resilience of its people, which brings, in their memory, important moments of our country’s history, such as the resistance movement to the oppression of republican troops led by Antônio Conselheiro, in Canudos.
Today, Bahia’s sertão (hinterland) is one of the icons of historical-cultural tourism in Brazil, with natural attractions such as parks, educational trails, observatories, museums and memorials.
The current energy demand is growing in Brazil and in the world, and the use of renewable energy is emerging as a more sustainable alternative for the planet. Our country has a great potential for the sector, especially in terms of capacity and competitiveness, and Bahia is second in the production of wind energy, contributing to energy security and the supply of clean, renewable and competitive sources.
We desire a cleaner and renewable future
The Canudos Farm is a wind enterprise located in the interior of Bahia and covering the municipalities of Canudos, Jeremoabo and Euclides da Cunha. The region has a privileged location due to its wind conditions, located 250 km from Aracajú and 405 km from Salvador.
With an installed capacity of 99.4 MWh of wind energy, equivalent to supplying over 200,000 Brazilian families, the Farm’s projects will boost the job market and the local economy, in addition to promoting the socio-environmental development of the region.
Good winds arrive in Bahia.
Rich in natural beauty, Canudos is also one of the most popular destinations for those who enjoy watching birds in their habitats. 20km from the city, it is possible to find the only population of Lear’s Macaw in the world. It is located in the Raso da Catarina Ecoregion, which houses the dormitories of the species considered one of the symbols of the biodiversity of the sertão.
To start the construction of the Canudos Wind Farm, we invested in research so that the region’s fauna and flora remain preserved. Acting with socio-environmental responsibility, we prepared preservation and conservation actions for the Lear’s Macaw and the licuri palm tree, the bird’s main food.
Our programs were designed for the entire project’s lifetime, aiming at leaving a legacy for the Brazilian biodiversity.
We have joined forces with Qualis Consultoria Ambiental, which gathers the greatest specialists in Lear’s Macaw in Brazil. Together with renowned biologists, we have conducted studies on the dynamics of the species, fostering and expanding technical-scientific knowledge in the area of the birds’ life and habitat.
The premises of our Conservation Programs were based on the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Caatinga Birds, with guidance from Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) and other entities.
R$ 2 million invested so far
Total of R$ 10 million to be invested in the next 15 years
We are commited to contributing to the development of the regions where we operate and, in Canudos, this could not be any different. We anticipate an investment of R$14.5 million in socio-environmental initiatives in the region during the construction and operation of the wind farm, and we believe in the involvement of local communities through social and environmental programs.
Partnership with SENAI in Bahia to offer training courses in several areas for residents of Canudos, Jeremoabo and Euclides da Cunha
Distribution of an educational wind booklet for students from the public school system in the region
Development of a long-term Environmental Education Plan with communities and schools, to raise awareness of the importance of conserving the Lear’s Macaw and the Licurizeiro.
Donation of a water truck to the local communities and basic food baskets to the Social Development Department of Canudos and Jeremoabo;
Construction of an artesian well for the community of Fundo de Pasto;
Opening of a request for proposals for spontaneous social projects for the municipalities of Canudos, Jeremoabo and Euclides da Cunha;
Partnership with the Forte Severinas social project, in support of the activities of local seamstresses;
Donation of health equipment to the Municipal Health Department of Canudos in order to combat Covid-19;
Tank cleaning in the communities of Bom Jardim, Rosário, Raso and Euclides da Cunha.
Awareness activities carried out in partnership with the local community on the importance of sustainable use of the Licuri.
In addition to protecting and conserving the Lear’s Macaw, we have developed a rescue and monitoring plan for local fauna species.
We work for the production of renewable and accessible energy for all, working actively in the energy and ecological transition around the world.
With operations in 20 countries, we have a network portfolio in wind, solar, biomass, hydro and storage energy.
In Brazil, we have been operating for over 15 years and we are very proud of the results achieved so far.
Improving the global environment. Promoting local development
We are Voltalia do Brazil
We have all the necessary licenses for the wind farm in Canudos. Voltalia has already conducted and continues to conduct several studies to assess and monitor potential impacts in the region, with proposals for control and preservation actions.
We reinforce that Voltalia is a producer of clean energy and has its projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. By promoting the production of electricity from renewable energies, the company also leads the fight against climate change, in favor of the environment and, consequently, the preservation of biodiversity.
The license obtained by the company provides for the installation of 81 wind turbines in the municipalities of Canudos and Jeremoabo. In this first stage, 28 wind turbines will be installed, which corresponds to 55 hectares.
We developed the Lear's Macaw Conservation and Licuri Conservation Program, the birds' main food. Our purpose is to cancel, minimize or mitigate the possible impacts that may arise due to the implementation of the project in Canudos. The research work was conducted by Qualis Consultoria Ambiental, a research institute which gathers the greatest specialists in Lear's Macaw in Brazil.
Studies are already being conducted and using pre-existing information, which has been collected in recent years. With this data, the programs developed will further expand the technical-scientific knowledge about the species, in addition to effectively collaborating for the preservation of the macaws and their habitat.
Besides promoting socio-economic development for the region, generating jobs and income for the communities, economic movement for the state and municipalities, important programs for the environmental preservation of the fauna and flora of the local biome are also being developed. It is further essential to emphasize the production of clean and renewable energy, at a time when the country is facing one of its worst water crises, which directly affects energy generation.
Voltalia is working very seriously and hard on this issue. The conservation program provides for a medium-term survey, using geolocators (biologgers) on macaws to estimate the species' home range.
In addition, the wind farm will make use of specific technology to identify the approach of individuals flying around the wind turbines. The technology for identifying individuals flying to be used (https://www.identiflight.com/) will make it possible to interrupt the operation of the wind turbine, minimizing the chances of the macaw colliding. This type of technology has already been adopted, showing satisfactory results in other locations outside Brazil.
The generated energy will be made available in the SIN (National Interconnected System), which integrates all regions of the country, making energy available to distributors. In this first moment of the project, the installed capacity of the wind farm will be more than 99.4 MW, with a forecast to serve approximately two hundred thousand families.
