Solar power generation is Brazil’s 2nd largest source of electricity
Solar power generation has surpassed 55 gigawatts (GW) of operational installed capacity in Brazil. Of this total, 1.6 GW was added to the system this year, a report by the country’s solar energy association Absolar states.
The majority of solar energy generation (37.6 GW) comes from power installed in self-generation, on the roofs or in the backyards of five million properties across Brazil. The rest (17.6 GW) comes from large solar plants connected to the National Interconnected System (SIN).
According to Absolar, the solar source has prevented the emission of around 66.6 million tons of carbon dioxide in electricity generation. The technology is currently the country’s second largest source of energy, accounting for 22.2 percent of all installed capacity in the electricity mix.
From January to March alone, consumers installed over 147 thousand solar systems, which now serve around 228.7 thousand properties. Since 2012, Absolar points out, the photovoltaic sector has brought more than BRL 251.1 billion in new investments to Brazil, created more than 1.6 million green jobs and contributed more than BRL 78 billion in revenue to public coffers.
States
Solar self-generation can be found across more than 5,500 municipalities and in all 27 Brazilian states, Absolar reports. Large centralized photovoltaic plants also operate in all states.
Among the consumer units supplied by their own solar energy generation, homes lead the way, with 69.2 percent of all properties, followed by businesses (18.4%) and rural properties (9.9%).
