Equinor, through its subsidiary Rio Energy, has acquired the Esquina do Vento wind project in north-eastern Brazil, with a capacity of 230MW, from Vestas.
The project, situated in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, also involves a turbine supply agreement with Vestas.
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Under the agreement, Vestas will deliver 51 V163-4.5MW turbines, with installation set to commence in March 2027 and completion expected by the end of the same year.
Vestas will also oversee the operation and maintenance of the turbines for 30 years under an Active Output Management 5000 service agreement.
Once operational, the project is expected to generate up to 1TWh of electricity annually.
Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and commercial operations in 2028.
Rio Energy CEO Roberto Colindres said: “We look forward to working together with Vestas on the Esquina do Vento wind project – an important milestone for Rio Energy and our continued commitment to Brazil’s renewable energy market.
“Despite current challenges, we believe onshore wind has tremendous potential to deliver reliable, clean, affordable power and create lasting value for communities and customers across Brazil.”
The collaboration between Equinor/Rio Energy and Vestas marks their first partnership in Brazil.
The Esquina do Vento project is expected to supply electricity to around 520,000 Brazilian homes upon completion.
The project will support Brazil’s clean energy objectives and contribute to local economic development.
Vestas Development, established in 2020 as a branch of Vestas Group to enhance the availability of developed wind projects in strategic markets, played a key role in the project’s inception.
The unit has focused on building its portfolio in Brazil over several years and managed a global project pipeline of 28GW by the end of 2025.
Vestas Development for Latin America head Frédéric Guillaume said: “Esquina do Vento is a landmark for our project development business area that has been focusing on expanding the availability of high-quality, fully developed wind projects in key strategic markets.
“Over the past years, we have built and matured our Brazilian portfolio, and Esquina do Vento is the first project to reach ready-to-build stage.
“Our mission is to grow the ‘project pipeline’ available to investors by offering complete, bankable solutions that integrate project development excellence, Vestas technology and long-term service capabilities. This project clearly demonstrates the value of that approach.”
In December 2025, Equinor and Rio Energy began commercial operations at the Serra da Babilônia solar facility, the company’s debut hybrid solar-wind power complex in Brazil.
