On the National Climate Change Awareness Day, celebrated today (16), Neoenergia reiterates the importance of the theme for new habits and the commitment of humanity to the preservation of the environment. The company actively participates with attitudes and actions aimed at reducing environmental impacts, such as investing in renewable energies, free from carbon emissions, exchanging vehicles powered by combustion for electric automobiles in its fleet, and with smart electrical grids that contribute for efficient consumption.
In its strategy, it prioritizes an energy model that aims at the well-being of people and the preservation of the planet, integrating the company's long-term vision of aiming for a better future, without compromising the present results, towards the decarbonization of its portfolio.
“We increasingly see the relevance of the subject to our daily agenda and the concern with implementing new practices needs to be everyone's. We believe in the fundamental role that the electricity sector plays in this path towards sustainable development and, therefore, we always seek to be at the forefront of initiatives in favor of the environment, leading to significant changes", highlights Francisco Carvalho, Superintendent of Innovation and Sustainability at Neoenergia.
The Brazilian economy has undergone several transformations in recent years. A positive change was the growth of wind energy in the country. Neoenergia was a pioneer in the national energy transition, starting the operation of its first wind farm 14 years ago. Currently, with 17 farms in operation, 27 under construction and new projects on the radar, the company will triple the installed capacity of this clean source by 2022, reaching 1.6 GW. The supply of renewable energy is the company's core business, in line with the global strategy of Iberdrola, its controlling shareholder, which is a leader in the sustainable energy model.
The company also invests in the improvement and expansion of networks. In 2020, R$ 3.3 billion were invested in distribution grids, of which R$ 2.072 billion for asset expansion, which is reflected in the good quality of services, and R$ 1.9 billion in transmission, especially for projects under implementation. Together with customers from the countryside of the state of São Paulo, it develops an innovative and award-winning project, Energy of the Future (Energia do Futuro, in Portuguese), with the installation of smart meters that support the efficient and sustainable decision-making of energy use by the end consumer.
“At the moment, 86.8% of our energy generated is from renewable sources, with emphasis on hydro and wind energy. In 2022, this percentage should exceed 90%, with the completion of projects under development in the Northeast, and this number will be higher than the Brazilian electrical matrix, which is among the most renewable in the world", he concludes.
In addition to the farms under construction, the company acquired wind generation pipeline projects in Bahia, with a potential to be installed of 400 MW and announced, at the end of last year, its entry into centralized photovoltaic generation, with the construction of the Luzia Solar Power Plant, also in Paraíba, which has a power of 149.3 MWdc and is expected to start operating in 2022.
As part of its strategy, the company entered two relevant financial market indices: the 16th portfolio of the Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE) B3 - Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão, and the 11th portfolio of the Carbon Efficient Index (ICO2 B3).
Neoenergia's businesses based on decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization are in line with the Iberdrola Group's commitments to meet environmental and climate change policies, with the goal of neutralizing carbon emissions by 2050. To this end, the company has an internal carbon pricing project underway, in partnership with the Centro de Estudos em Sustentabilidade da Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGVces - Fundação Getúlio Vargas Sustainability Study Center), guiding the company's decision-making towards reducing emissions.
Neoenergia and Iberdrola are agreed with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda, giving priority to access to clean energy and the fight against climate change. Neoenergia also promoted a virtual event with its employees, bringing two representatives from Engajamundo and Youth Climate Leaders, organizations formed by young climate leaders. The objective is to disseminate ways to learn more about how to proceed with conscious actions, in favor of a sustainable future for the present generations and those that are yet to come.
The date for Climate Change Awareness was established by law in 2011, with the objective of making debates and mobilizations possible around more sustainable alternatives for the most diverse sectors. On the same day, in 1997, the process of recognizing the Kyoto Protocol was opened, an international treaty designed to lead countries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases, especially CO2.