BRAZIL - Siemens Energy and Casa dos Ventos have put into operation the first digitally-enabled power transformers in Latin America, at the substation of the Rio do Vento wind farm expansion.

Casa dos Ventos is one of the major investors in the development of wind projects in Brazil. In 2019, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens Energy for the supply of Latin America’s first digitally-enabled power transformers.

 As of November 2021, these transformers are in operation at the substation of the Rio do Vento wind farm expansion, digitally connected to an exclusive and secure online platform. They provide real-time information and allow digital twin simulations to maximize the transformers’ health and extend their lifecycles, the manufacturer said in a press release.

The complete Rio do Vento onshore wind farm, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, will include two phases, 240 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 1,038 MW, enough to supply the equivalent of 1.5 million homes with renewable energy.

This project lays the foundation for the further expansion of wind energy in Brazil and the use of digital technologies in the energy sector, the manufacturer said in a press release.

The first phase went into operation in July 2021. The second phase of Rio do Vento is scheduled to start operating in 2023.

Source: Siemens Energy