United Nations

The project produces 201,000 MWh per year, being able to supply more than 45,000 households, and achieves an average annual reduction of emissions of more than 29,367 tCO2 e.

Estrellada SA is the owner of the wind turbines and responsible for the exploitation of the project's energy, through a PPA agreement signed with the Uruguayan state-owned energy company UTE.

The main objectives of the project are to:

• Provide non-conventional renewable energy to the national integrated system. Here the Melowind wind farm delivers 3.9 % of the total wind energy generated in the country to the national grid (comparable year 2022).
• Improve air quality which reduces soil acidification, contributing to soil remediation in the area.
• Provide future generations with environmentally friendly fuel alternatives that protect the environment.

Contribution of the project activity to sustainable development

The contributions of the project towards sustainable development are explained with the following indicators:

Social/Technology:

• The project increases tourism demand by turning the wind farm complex into a tourist attraction which, in turn, revitalizes the local economy by creating jobs in the operation and management of the plant.
• The project diversifies the sources of electricity generation, contributing to the improvement of power generation technology.
• The project contributes to decreasing dependence on foreign oil for domestic energy supply.

Environmental:

• The project creates direct and indirect employment opportunities through the construction and operation of the power plant. During construction, 450 jobs were created and there are currently 10 permanent jobs in the operation of the plant.
• The biodiversity of the area has not been affected, and as the site has been monitored, it has been noted that the native fauna has grown in the vicinity of the wind farm, seeing species that had once migrated from the area due to poaching.
• The plant is visited by educational institutes, where the company managing the park comments on the importance of this plant within the energy matrix and how it contributes to the development of the country and the care of the environment.

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For more information on the social benefits of the project, please click here