Solar World Cup 2014 brings energy turnaround to Brazil

Frankfurt (ots) –

– KfW finances EUR 10 million for solar roofs on Brazilian World Cup stadiums in Belo Horizonte – Impetus for the sustainable development of the Brazilian energy sector – Environment-friendly electricity will benefit Brazilian consumers

Today in Frankfurt the business area KfW Entwicklungsbank, acting on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Brazilian energy company Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (CEMIG) signed a loan agreement for EUR 10 million for the project „Solar World Cup 2014“. Under the project, the roofs of the Mineirão and Mineirinho stadiums of the Brazilian World Cup city of Belo Horizonte will be fitted with photovoltaic systems with a combined capacity of 2.6 MW.

„With these projects we want to support the sun-rich country of Brazil in achieving the breakthrough for photovoltaic electricity. The medium-term diversification of the energy mix will significantly reduce emissions that are harmful to the environment and climate“, said Dr Norbert Kloppenburg, member of the Executive Board of KfW Bankengruppe.

The total investment cost of the project amounts to EUR 14.25 million and will be financed from a EUR 10 million loan from KfW, which will include funds from the BMZ for interest reduction and a counterpart contribution of EUR 4.25 million from CEMIG. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) will also support CEMIG in marketing the solar electricity and training technical personnel.

The generated electricity will be fed into the grid. In this way the Brazilian consumers will benefit from electricity generated without harming the environment or the climate. The common objective is to make the project „Solar World Cup 2014“ a driver for spreading the use of photovoltaic systems in Brazil. It is hoped that in future photovoltaic solar energy will establish itself in Brazil and generate positive impacts that will extend far beyond the World Cup 2014.

Pressekontakt: KfW, Palmengartenstraße 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt Kommunikation (KOM), Dr Charis Pöthig, Tel. 069 7431-4683, Fax: 069 7431-3266, E-Mail: charis.poethig@kfw.de, Internet: www.kfw.de/newsroom