Portuguese 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
The Rise of Energy Management in Brazil
In the current economic landscape of Brazil, energy efficiency management has become a crucial strategic challenge across various sectors, including industry. According to the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan), industries can allocate more than 40% of their operational costs solely to electricity.
Small businesses, according to data from SEBRAE, also face similar challenges, spending up to 20% of their total costs on energy. This scenario extends to other segments such as retail, education, health, call centers, and data centers, where electricity constitutes a substantial part of operational expenses.
Vital Importance of Energy Management
With energy costs being significant and subject to regulatory variations, energy efficiency management has emerged as an essential trend for companies’ financial departments. The goal is to reduce expenses without affecting productivity.
-
Without a mansion, without high investment, and without a traditional classroom, a teacher living in a 22 m² house taught students to build a 9 m² studio apartment with the equivalent of R$10,000.
-
Without her own home and pressured by rent, a 25-year-old bought a small 15-meter boat, gradually renovated the interior by herself, transformed the interior with paint, new flooring, a larger bathroom, and started living on the canals, paying much less per month.
-
Long before sustainable construction became a trend, China built earthen fortresses with multiple floors, a central courtyard, and the capacity to house up to 800 people living in a community.
-
He got tired of renting, bought an old school bus, removed the seats, modified the roof, reinforced everything with steel, and created a two-story mobile home that looks small on the outside but houses two bedrooms inside.
This management involves meticulous budget control, encompassing components such as demand, consumption, taxes, among others, providing a detailed understanding of each element and effective cost control.
If management is not effective, companies may end up paying more than necessary. Proper management allows for detailed invoice analyses, bringing valuable insights for financial planning and more accurate forecasts.
The Impact of the Free Energy Market
The Free Energy Market (ACL – Ambiente de Contratação Livre) plays a crucial role in reducing electricity expenses for large industries, which often consume energy equivalent to an entire city.
Unlike the regulated market (ACR), where energy is purchased through distributors, in ACL, the purchase is made directly with traders. This modality offers greater transparency in costs, an attractive factor for many companies. Currently, about 33,000 consumer units are part of ACL, with a projection to add nearly 170,000 new units starting in January 2024.
Technology as an Ally in Energy Management
Technology is a fundamental tool in adapting to energy market trends. It can automate invoice collection and data capture, forming a robust information database.
This enables the application of advanced cost intelligence techniques to audit invoices, identify errors, and provide insights on cost and consumption optimization. Additionally, technology assists in studying the migration to the Free Energy Market, balancing the benefits and challenges of this transition.
Technological solutions allow for more efficient control over migration, payments, consumption, and organization of the buying and selling of energy surpluses.
Technology also optimizes the work of spending control teams, providing a broader view of trends and external factors influencing companies’ performance. A successful energy efficiency management requires a deep understanding of the sector and weather conditions, something that technology significantly facilitates.
Therefore, it is clear that energy management can both drive growth and compromise companies’ performance if not executed effectively. Investing in solutions that add value and promote efficient management is a crucial trend for companies in 2024, aiming to ensure financial health, strengthen operational efficiency, and establish a strategic energy management focused on the future.
Source: Marcelo Almeida.
Be the first to react!