São Paulo, Brazil is one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America, and to support that growth, the city needs reliable sources of power that allow it to continue developing its vast network of commercial and industrial complexes.
POWERING GROWTH
Reliable power for a growing São Paulo
Ecogen, the leading developer of distributed energy efficiency projects in Brazil, has 130 generator sets that produce about 140 MW of power, including 33 Cat® gas generator sets and 38 Cat diesel generators that produce 84 MW of combined power. A centralized SCADA system operates most of these power plants remotely at Ecogen’s headquarters at Rochaverá Corporate Towers. At this complex, Ecogen’s cogeneration plant, along with diesel generators for backup power, generate all electricity and air conditioning. Four Cat G3520C generator sets produce enough electrical energy to meet a constant 100 percent load but can also run at less than full capacity based on the price of natural gas to provide reliable energy at a consistent price.
“At the end of the day, the cogeneration plant helps us diversify and optimize power costs,” says Gustavo Marchezin, commercial director for Ecogen. “And it saves tenants from the risk of blackouts while providing a price comparable to the grid.”
This system can also operate in island mode when grid power can become unreliable, using waste heat to produce 2,200 tons of chilled water for air conditioning at Rochaverá Corporate Towers and saving 1.5 MW of power from the grid.
Ecogen continues to work with Cat dealer, Sotreq, to maintain its power plants.