Mining conglomerate Vale is set to begin construction of 766MW photovoltaic project in Brazil later this year and has chosen Nextracker to supply smart solar trackers for it.

The Sol de Cerrado solar project in Minas Gerais, will be one of the largest in the country when operational in 2022.

The solar farm will help power Vale's mining operations in the Jaiba area of Minas Gerais and will be interconnected to the regional transmission grid.

The project will play a “major role” in Vale's efforts to achieve its corporate sustainability goals.

Once operational, Sol de Cerrado will provide 13% of the company's total energy needs in Brazil and offset greenhouse gas protocol scope two emissions by up to 136,407 tonnes of CO2 a year.

Vale plans to produce 100% of the energy needed for its Brazilian operations by 2025 and reach carbon neutrality across its global footprint by 2050.

"Our decision was based on Nextracker's proven performance after a thorough due diligence process," said Marco Braga, Vale global procurement director.

“We are very confident of Nextracker's experience and the reliability of its products to support Vale in solving the challenges of this important project."

Nextracker's regional office in Brazil will support the project with engineering, commissioning, and asset management services as well as advanced data analytics for preventive maintenance.

"Vale's Sol de Cerrado project is yet another example of how the mining industry is embracing renewables as a reliable source of generation to power operations and offset greenhouse gas emissions," said Alejo Lopez, Nextracker vice president of sales for Latin America.

"We look forward to working closely with Vale and deploying our smart solar trackers and software to maximise plant performance while minimising operational costs for the 30-year-plus lifetime of the plant."

The Sol de Cerrado project is the second Brazilian market win for Nextracker this year and the latest addition to its growing portfolio in the country.

The company recently secured a contract to supply its bifacially optimised trackers to the 830MW Janauba solar project in Minas Gerais.