Rio’s carnival revelers energized by batteries

Rio’s world famous carnival, known for its contagious energy, gained a new ally this year: energy storage.

Commercial renewables and energy storage business Ion Energia used BESS to power three street blocks in the city during the event, replacing the usual diesel generators.

The batteries powered the “Play Rauuul!” carnival block, in homage to the music of late Brazilian rocker Raul Seixas; and the “Exagerado” section, which played the music of late Brazilian singer-songwriter Cazuza, in a carnival rhythm, both in Praça Tiradentes, downtown Rio. And the BESS also powered the Last Sip block of the Rio Carnival, Praça Santos Dumont, in the Gávea neighborhood.

Each city block had two 247 kWh BESS to power sound, lighting, and stage equipment during six hours of festivities.

US-based Ion Storage Solutions assembled the 3.5-ton BESS on site using a “Munk” truck with an articulated, hydraulic arm. The batteries had been charged from grid power in a Rio warehouse.

A distribution panel, with circuit breakers and an automatic transfer switch, was used to guarantee power in the event of a system failure. Diesel generators, present as backup power supply, were not needed.

Ion Energia Engineer Joice Pereira, who coordinated the operation, said, “The experience was a success, with partygoers and organizers impressed by the absence of noise, smoke, and diesel smell. The Ion Storage Solutions team took the opportunity to explain how the BESS system works and demystify the technology, which is still relatively new in Brazil. Despite their initial doubts, partygoers praised the initiative and were surprised by the storage capacity of these systems.”

The project demonstrated the potential for clean energy use at large-scale events. Ion Energia intends to supply other events by replacing diesel generators with BESS and contributing to the decarbonization of the events sector.

From pv magazine Brasil.