Brazil’s sun is not just heating roofs—it’s rewriting the energy map. The Arinos Solar Park in Minas Gerais is a 611 MW giant that began operations in early 2025, housing more than a million photovoltaic modules. This single project embodies a dramatic shift in how Brazil powers homes, industries, and rural communities.
This is more than clean energy—it’s a blueprint for jobs and local wealth. A 2.8 billion reais investment generated over 3,500 jobs during construction, including 1,030 local hires, delivering about 7 million reais in labour income. The plant sits within Enel Group’s broader sustainability program: 24 projects implemented and 154 initiatives developed, directly benefiting roughly 47,800 people.
Powered by 1.4 TWh/year, Arinos can supply electricity to about 680,000 homes, and it avoids an estimated 790,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The site is a showcase of digital and automation-driven operations: a mechanised Sunbrush cleaning system uses up to 70% less water and boosts daily efficiency by about 80%, while drone inspections speed up fault diagnostics and the SOL – Solar Operational Level platform provides real-time monitoring and targeted deployment. Weather patterns, solar radiation, inverter performance, and lightning are tracked to improve safety and predictability.
Beyond the meters, Arinos cements Enel’s leadership in Brazil where the group operates roughly 6.6 GW of capacity across wind, solar and hydro, and where Enel Group globally runs about 89 GW, with renewables accounting for 63 GW. The project is embedded in a robust social program: Enel Compartilha Oportunidade prioritized local hiring; partnerships with IFNMG produced 192 graduates; the Baú de Leitura created reading rooms with 1,200 titles, serving more than 770 students; and initiatives like APAe Arinos PV reduce energy costs, enabling more services for people with disabilities. The Seed Bank supports ecological restoration, while the Arinos open-air market and inclusion programs broaden economic and cultural life in the region, including neurodiversity workshops and sports initiatives.