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CCampo cuts costs and increases sustainable production with agri-photovoltaic system

22/10/2024 17:36
CCampo cuts costs and increases sustainable production with agri-photovoltaic system

The Pará Agricultural Cooperative CCampo was founded in 2018 from the merger of two other local cooperatives: Cooprusan and Coopromubel. With the desire to grow business and reduce excessive spending, the two organizations joined forces and, in 2019, were already reaping good results.

In this scenario, CCampo brings together more than 250 cooperative members and thus produces more than 130 tons of fruit pulp and processes more than 230,000 kilos of cassava per year. The cooperative buys more than R$2 million from small producers every year.

However, despite thriving, CCampo had to face a major problem: the cost of electricity. According to Mário Cesar Zanelato, the cooperative's president, the annual cost was an average of R$120,000.

In order to reduce this amount, the cooperative decided to look for alternatives to make its energy matrix more efficient, cheaper and sustainable. On this journey, CCampo went in search of partnerships to make a cleaner energy matrix possible.

 

Participation in AceleraCoop and partnerships

In the search for solutions to deal with its high electricity costs, CCampo took part in AceleraCoop, a program run by the Sistema OCB in partnership with the OCB/PA and tDGRV. “CCampo was the first cooperative in the state of Pará to take part in the program,” says Zanelato.

As well as aiming to reduce energy bills, the cooperative also wanted to improve distribution logistics in some municipalities and reduce production costs. “The objective was to reduce costs and become more competitive,” he explains.

With a view to reducing electricity costs, DGVR, a partner of the OCB System, suggested implementing of an agriphotovoltaic system. The structure consists of solar panels installed in cultivated areas. In this situation, the panels create shade and make it possible to grow certain plants, optimizing cultivation and clean energy production in the same area.

The organization provided R$361,000 for the installation of panels and inverters, the component responsible for converting the energy generated by the panels. The plant is located in the São José Community, on the cooperative's land.

DGRV was also responsible for monitoring the installation process, as well as offering training and courses for maintaining the panels. The cooperative members learned how to produce organically on and around the site where the slabs are installed.

 

Saving, optimizing and producing sustainably

For the project to be implemented safely and effectively, DGRV and other partners carried out a thorough analysis of the land on which the plant would be installed. The organizations, together with the cooperative, also worked on the bidding to hire the company responsible for installing the agriphotovoltaic plant.

According to Zanelato, energy generated in excess is used to offset expenses in the cassava and fruit pulp industries.

Seeing the opportunities generated by the agriphotovoltaic system, several cooperative members became interested in taking part in the project. The initiative to use solar energy and optimize land appealed to member producers with small cultivation areas, since the space where the panels are installed can also be used for production.

During this process, CCampo had to carry out studies and tests to understand which fruit and vegetables could be grown under the photovoltaic panels. “The challenge is to get it right which products can be produced in the shade,” explains Zanelato.

In this way, the cooperative is able to save on electricity and direct surpluses to other projects. In addition, the use of renewable energy and soil optimization highlight the importance of sustainable production for CCampo.

 

Results and next steps

CCampo is already reaping the results of implementing the agriphotovoltaic system. With just one plant, the cooperative already generates between 7 and 11 thousand kW (kilowatts) per month and, as a result, saves between R$8,500 and R$13,000 monthly.

The cooperative has also invested in training courses for its members. When qualified, the members get to know more about the system and understand better the benefits of using it on their land.

Given the success of the agriphotovoltaic plant, CCampo is committed to expanding the facilities. According to the president, the idea is for all the cooperative members to be able to count on the plants.

As well as reducing the cooperative's energy costs, the installations have the power to reduce fruit and vegetable production costs and, consequently, increase the cooperative members' income.

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