Solar Brasil

On 17 April 2012, the Brazilian National Agency of Electrical Energy, ANEEL, approved the most important piece of new legislation for the solar industry in the country to date. Setting in place regulation for net metering for solar systems up to 1MW and granting utilities an 80% reduction in distribution taxes for power generated by solar plants up to 30MW in size, the regulation gives a significant boost to the country‘s solar industry which has traditionally relied on off grid projects. For more information on the legislation, click here.

As Brazil moves into the spot as the world‘s 6th largest economy and energy demands expected to increase by 60% in the next decade, the government are examining new methods to meet this growing power need. High electricity prices for consumers make the net metering legislation an extremely attractive prospect and with the wind industry having taken over in recent power auctions, many are hopeful that solar coudl soon follow suit.

The Solar Brasil Congress creates an annual meeting place for the government, utilities, investors and solar industry to come together and discuss how to further solar deployment to the benefit of the Brazilian economy. As the first meeting to move beyond early R&D projects and the off grid sector the congress will connect key authorities including ANEEL, EPE and the Ministry of Energy & Mines with CEOs and Directors of the world‘ leading solar companies.

With energy distributors given 240 days to respond to the new legislation introduced by ANEEL this April, the congress will serve as the first meeting point after the expiry of this period. Registrations for the meeting are already taking place.