English 
Francês 
Alemão 
Italiano 
Japonês 
Norueguês 
Portuguese 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Minas Gerais Reached 12.8 GW of Installed Capacity in Solar Energy in September, Consolidating Its Leading Position in Brazil with Large Plants and Thousands of Consumer Units.
Minas Gerais consolidated, this September, a new historic record in solar energy generation, as reported this Tuesday, 30. The state reached the mark of 12.8 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, totaling large plants and distributed generation projects in homes, businesses, and rural properties.
The data from the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) reveals that this number positions Minas as an absolute protagonist in the sector. To give an idea, the current capacity corresponds to 91.4% of the installed capacity of the Itaipu Dam, one of the largest hydropower plants in the world.
Division Between Centralized and Distributed Generation
The results from Minas combine two models of solar energy production. The centralized generation (CG) accounts for 7.4 GW from 203 solar plants in operation. Meanwhile, distributed generation (DG) totals 5.4 GW, with more than 397.2 thousand consumer units (CUs) throughout the state.
-
Roraima bets on the sun to escape high tariffs: Amid the energy crisis and price hikes, solar energy is growing in Roraima and transforming consumption in the North region.
-
Copel boosts solar energy in Paraná and brings innovation to public schools, promoting savings on electricity bills, energy efficiency, and a direct impact on the quality of education.
-
Brazil reaches historic milestone in solar energy: Sector surpasses 2 million accumulated green jobs and generates billions in the national economy even under market pressure.
-
Minas Gerais takes the lead in renewable energy: State surpasses historic mark of 14 GW in solar energy generation in MG and consolidates dominance in the Brazilian electric sector.
These numbers reveal the weight of Minas Gerais in the national scenario. In centralized generation, the state concentrates 39.2% of Brazil’s installed capacity. In distributed generation, it represents 12.6% of the national total, highlighting the strength of popular adherence to this renewable source.
Minas Gerais Accounts for One-Fifth of the Country’s Solar Energy
The prominence of Minas becomes even more evident when compared to the total installed solar energy capacity in Brazil. Currently, the country totals 61.9 GW between CG and DG. Only Minas Gerais accounts for 20.7% of this capacity, reinforcing the state’s leadership position and strategic impact in the energy sector.
Natural Conditions and Expansion in Northern Minas
For Bruno Catta Preta, statewide coordinator of the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (Absolar), the spotlight on Minas Gerais is no coincidence. He explains that the state has high solarimetric indexes, especially in the Northern region, where solar radiation is intense for almost the entire year.
The northern part of Minas also offers vast, low-cost lands that are underutilized for agriculture or livestock. This combination creates ideal conditions for large solar ventures. “Due to the sun, which really punished, the land there is unproductive, not very suitable for agriculture or livestock, and what was a problem – which was the sun – has become a solution, a source of income for families and cities, with tax revenue from solar energy,” said Catta Preta.
Despite the significant progress, experts point out bottlenecks. Transmission infrastructure has not kept pace with the speed of growth. Minas Gerais needs more transmission lines and energy substations to efficiently transmit production without overloads.
Catta Preta acknowledges the efforts of Minas Gerais Electric Company (Cemig) to expand the network but emphasizes that the pace is below demand. According to him, “not at the speed that entrepreneurs need for us to develop quickly.”
Aneel Auctions Drive Investments
The recent energy auctions held by Aneel are also seen as a catalyst for unlocking infrastructure. The regulatory agency has conducted some of the largest bids in its history in recent years, securing new transmission lines and substations for Minas. This expansion will allow the growing solar energy production in the state to be transmitted stably to other regions of the country.
The prominence of Minas is also recognized in the state Legislature. Deputy Gil Pereira (PSD), president of the Committee on Mines and Energy of the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais, highlighted that of the ten largest photovoltaic plants in Brazil, five are in Northern Minas. The largest is located in the municipality of Janaúba.
“We are a reference in clean energy, with more jobs created, income, infrastructure, and sustainability. Growth and national leadership that we have achieved through tireless work and laws of my authorship, to encourage plants of small, medium, and large scales,” stated the legislator.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!