RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil became the fourth largest country in the world in terms of installed photovoltaic capacity last year.
According to official data from the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL), collected by the Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association (Absolar), the addition in 2021 will be 5.7 GW, which is the highest growth of this technology in the history of the country.
In 2021, Brazil will have a total installed PV capacity of 13.6 GW in operation, placing the country 13th in the world rankings and improving by one place compared to 2021. This figure includes both large-scale systems and systems installed on rooftops, facades, or small plots of land.
The ranking is led by China (306 GW), followed by the United States (93 GW), Japan (74 GW), Germany (58 GW) and India (49 GW), according to 2022 statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
According to Absolar, solar PV in Brazil has already generated more than R$78.5 (US$15.7) billion in new investments and R$21.7 billion in public revenues since 2012, as well as creating more than 450,000 jobs. In addition, 20.8 million tons of CO2 have been avoided in electricity generation.
For the association’s CEO, Rodrigo Sauaia, “solar energy is the country’s most competitive renewable energy source and a real lever for economic, social and environmental development, creating jobs and income, attracting investment, diversifying electricity supply and providing systemic benefits to all Brazilian consumers.
Brazil, he adds, “can only benefit from solar energy and is on track to become a global leader in this increasingly strategic sector.”
Ronaldo Koloszuk, Chairman of Absolar’s Board of Directors, recalls that Brazil is already among the top ten countries in the world in other renewable energy sources, including hydropower, wind power, and biomass. “Only in photovoltaic solar energy is the country not yet in the TOP 10 in the world, but we are ready to reach it,” he says.
With information from Energias Renovables