New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
As Engie’s latest solar milestone in Brazil is commissioned, developers are accelerating utility-scale renewables across the region, with new projects advancing in Colombia and Peru.
Engie has commissioned the Assú Sol solar photovoltaic (PV) complex, the company’s largest operational solar project to date.
Comprising 16 plants totalling 735 MW of installed capacity, Engie received approval from the Brazilian authorities in February, following the completion of construction work in December 2025.
Located on a 2,344-hectare site in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil’s north-east, Assú Sol is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of a city of 850,000 people. The project includes more than 1.5 million PV modules and 12,000 km of cabling.
Completed over a 30-month period, construction deployed advanced technologies including drone-based aerial mapping, automated graders integrated with 3D models, and for the first time in Brazil, a dedicated automatic pile driving machine for solar plants.
Engie now operates 15.7 GW of renewable capacity in Brazil, across hydropower, onshore wind and solar assets.
Its largest onshore wind project, the Serra do Assuruá complex, became operational in December 2025. Located in Gentio do Ouro, Bahia state, the site comprises 188 wind turbines across 24 wind farms, delivering a total installed capacity of 846 MW.
Scatec reaches financial close on 130 MW solar plant in Colombia
Meanwhile, Scatec has reached financial close and begun construction of the 130 MW Barzalosa solar project in Colombia.
The company has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with BTG Pactual Comercializadora de Energía, covering approximately 85% of expected generation, with the remaining 15% to be sold into the Colombian electricity market.
Scatec will hold a 65% equity stake in the project, developed in partnership with Norfund, which will provide the remaining equity. Total project capex is estimated at $121mn.
Zelestra starts construction of the 242 MW Babilonia solar plant in Peru
Elsewhere, Zelestra has begun construction of the 242 MW Babilonia solar project in Arequipa, Peru.
Babilonia forms part of the La Joya complex, which has nearly 700 MW of planned capacity and includes the 300 MW San Martín solar project – operational since 2025 and the largest solar plant in Peru – alongside a further 125 MW project in advanced development. The complex will install 394,000 bifacial solar panels, with commercial operations set to begin in 2027.
The project is backed by a long-term PPA with Celepsa, to supply regulated, mining and industrial customers. Once operational, it will produce enough clean energy to supply approximately 350,000 homes.
