Equinor has commenced commercial operations at its first hybrid power project in Brazil, combining 140 MW of solar capacity with 223 MW of wind capacity at the Serra da Babilônia site in Bahia. The solar plant has been developed alongside the existing wind project, Serra da Babilônia Wind, operated by its subsidiary, Rio Energy. The hybrid project has been structured to utilise shared infrastructure between both the solar plant and the wind farm. This arrangement enables operational efficiencies and reduces overall costs compared to running a standalone solar project.
The solar plant is expected to produce 236 GWh of renewable energy annually. This volume is estimated to match the average consumption of approximately 143,000 households in Brazil. The generated power will be traded in the Brazilian market through Equinor’s trading entity, Danske Commodities. The project represents the first asset delivered by Rio Energy as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Equinor following its acquisition in 2023, which included the operational 223 MW onshore wind complex as well as a development pipeline of renewable projects.
In May 2025, Equinor and its joint venture partner Polenergia reached financial close for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind projects, securing more than €3 billion in financing for each. The projects, which have a cumulative capacity of 1,440 MW, secured contracts for difference in 2021, for a period of 25 years at a price of approximately €71 per MWh. Equinor is responsible for the construction and operation of the projects, with commercial operations expected to commence in 2028.