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A Brazilian foreign trade company expects a 12% growth in imports of solar panels in 2021. The Federal Government predicts that by 2027 hydroelectric power plants will have a drop in energy share to 51%, while alternative energy generation sources should jump to 28%.
April 2021 – Although about 90% of the electricity in the national territory originates from hydroelectric plants, about a fifth of what is produced is wasted in the transmission of energy to consumption centers, such as, for example, Itaipu. Losses like this amount to at least 5% of the tariff paid by the consumer. One of the ways to circumvent them is to opt for distributed solar energy. By 2027, according to the Federal Government, hydroelectric plants will lose space to renewable energies and will fall to 51% in terms of energy participation, while alternative sources should jump to 28%.
For Rogério Marin, director of the Brazilian foreign trade company Tek Trade, which is responsible for importing 4 MegaWhats of energy in photovoltaic panels in 2020, the main path will be to encourage the implementation of renewable energy plants and the increase of micro energy generation solar energy distributed by the population.
“Energy from renewable sources is among the sustainable actions prioritized by several countries. In Brazil, the Federal Government recently zeroed the import tax on solar equipment until December 31, 2021, respecting certain criteria, which should boost the market even further. As the economy and the exchange rate return to normal, the measure should stimulate the creation of new projects, both residential and business. Even those who are not in the business realize, analyzing the numbers, that it is worth investing in a system like this, where it is possible to obtain a return on investment and, in many cases, exchange the electricity bill for the monthly amount of financing the system. ”, states Marina.
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Growth estimates for the solar energy market to 2021
The director estimates that the growth in imports of solar panels by Tek Trade should increase by 15% in 2021, compared to 2020, and continue to grow for the next few years. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in working with the distribution and installation of equipment and which is even pointed out as a solution for the resumption of economic growth, of countries and companies in the post-pandemic.
“Solar energy will be one of the protagonists in this scenario of renewal of the Brazilian energy matrix. The fact is that we must, yes, question the waste of electricity in Brazil and reflect on the real efficiency of hydroelectric plants that bring the most insecurities because they depend on and generate a great environmental impact. For the construction of a hydroelectric plant, for example, several factors are required, such as: dam installations, deviation of the course of the river and expropriation of land. These are attitudes that lead to problems for the fauna and flora and the silting up of rivers. Another factor is that this capacity is often located on indigenous lands or in conservation units. Solar energy, in addition to being completely clean and sustainable, has an uncomplicated installation and its results are immediate. That is, you buy the solar panel, install it, place the inverter and it is producing energy”, explains the director.
Another factor pointed out by Marin is that the main hydroelectric plants in Brazil, that is, those that generate more energy, are located on the Paraná River, on the Brazil-Paraguay border. Therefore, when transporting this energy to the rest of the country, at least 20% of the resource is lost in transmission through the network, directly affecting the quality of electricity supplied in some regions. The solar panel, on the other hand, is easy to install and its raw material – sunlight – is inexhaustible and free.
“Solar energy has had its value reduced by almost 90% in the last ten years (Absolar). In addition, we increasingly have facilitated financing possibilities. Encouraging access to this solution that has grown so rapidly is the way to a more sustainable future,” he argues.
About Tek Trade
Tek Trade is a company from Santa Catarina and has been operating in the import and export business in Brazil for over 10 years. It is a founding member of SINDITRADE – Union of Foreign Trade Companies of the State of Santa Catarina. With thousands of successful import and export operations, Tek Trade has all the necessary knowledge to operate efficiently in foreign trade serving small and large companies.
