Compared to the Itaipu plant, Brazil currently has a large capacity for generating solar energy, but still has unexplored places with high potential to house new solar complexes
Brazil currently has enough capacity to produce an amount of solar energy very similar to that produced by the Itaipu plant. In a recent milestone, the country managed to surpass the mark of 13 gigawatts (GW) of power in operation, in large solar plants and in small and medium-sized photovoltaic systems that are installed on roofs, facades and also on land.
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Investments in the solar energy generation sector have grown by more than 40% since 2012
When comparing the amount of GW produced by the country and the amount that is produced at the Itaipu Binational Plant, it is due to the fact that the Itaipu plant is one of the largest hydroelectric plants in the world, with an installed and operating capacity of 14 GW.
According to data provided by the Associação Brasileira de Energia Solar Fotovoltaica, Absolar – responsible for carrying out technical studies and bringing together several companies in the energy generation sector – the solar energy source has already obtained more than R$ 66,3 billion in just investments, in addition to generating more than 390 jobs in Brazil since 2012. The emission of around 14,7 million tons of CO2, which commonly occurs during the electricity generation process, was also avoided.
Large solar plants represent 2,4% of the country's total energy matrix
Of the 13 gigawatts of total power, power generation through solar panels that are installed in buildings and homes, for example, which is called own power generation, currently represents 8,4 GW of installed power. In the case of large solar plants, around 4,6 GW represent their installed capacity, equivalent to 2,4% of the country's total energy matrix.
According to Absolar, solar plants considered large are in 6th place in the ranking of the largest source of photovoltaic energy generation in Brazil, currently having several large plants spread across the following states: Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco , Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Tocantins, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The state of Bahia is the leader in distributed generation of photovoltaic energy in the country.
Absolar's CEO, Rodrigo Sauaia, pointed out that large plants are capable of generating energy costing up to ten times less, compared to emergency fossil thermoelectric plants or even electrical energy that is imported from neighboring countries, has become one of the responsible by the tariff increase on consumers.
Development of the country, with the generation of solar energy
Sauaia reported that the advancement of solar energy generation is extremely important for the social, economic and environmental development of the country. He highlighted the versatility and agility attributed to the solar technology generation system, as a single day of installation is enough to transform a company or any residence into a small power plant that generates clean, renewable and accessible energy.
Absolar's consulting executive director highlighted that there are several industries that have not yet migrated to the solar energy system and said that there are several areas with an excellent possibility of housing solar plants or farms.
