Article published in Magazine Canal Solar – Vol. 6, No. 7, December/2025
This article aims to draw attention to a market that originated in Brazil and has been quietly transforming the way we produce and consume energy.
Electricity is, without exaggeration, the lifeblood of contemporary society. Without it, there are no functioning hospitals, no illuminated schools, no industries producing, and no internet connecting people.
Electrical power is so essential that its absence, even for a few hours, creates chaos: traffic lights out of service, food spoiling in refrigerators, communication systems down.
It is in this context that distributed generation (DG) emerges, a model that decentralizes energy production and strengthens the resilience of the electricity sector in the face of extreme weather events—which are becoming increasingly frequent due to global climate change.
The timid birth of distributed generation in Brazil
The history of GD in Brazil begins in 2012, when... ANEEL The Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) published Regulatory Resolution No. 482. For the first time, consumers were able to install small energy generation systems — mainly photovoltaic solar — and offset the surplus injected into the grid.
Initially, the market was hesitant. Few believed that rooftop solar panels could become the protagonists of an energy revolution.
But in 2015, a new resolution broadened the possibilities: it became permissible to generate energy not only at the point of consumption, but also remotely, through cooperatives and consortia. This detail was crucial in attracting investors and sparking the interest of thousands of Brazilians.
Technological evolution: from the first panels to modern inverters.
Early systems were expensive and inefficient. Solar panels had low conversion capacity, and inverters—devices that transform the direct current generated by the panels into alternating current compatible with the electrical grid—were limited.
An inverter is, in simple terms, the heart of a photovoltaic system. Without it, the energy produced by the panels could not be used in our homes or sent to the grid.
With technological advancements, inverters have become more compact, intelligent, and powerful, capable of monitoring production and consumption in real time, as well as ensuring greater safety.
Today, systems are much more efficient: panels with greater generation capacity, inverters with digital connectivity, and integrated solutions that even allow for battery storage.
Read the full article in the complete issue of the magazine. Click here to download.
The opinions and information expressed are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the author. Canal Solar.
Answers of 3
I don't see companies adding value in the market. I got dozens of quotes for various properties, and none offered a cleaning plan or regular maintenance; only one company offers remote monitoring for 12 months, and few offer 2 or more years of warranty. They could offer induction cooktops or discounts on air conditioners. There's a lack of creativity.
GD1 destroyed by lobbies
Of course, the big players weren't going to let those billions of reais circulating MONTHLY throughout this vast Brazil go unnoticed...
There is nothing else like this deal, especially for small and medium-sized consumers.
See that in GD1 (they eliminated) a simple bill of 500 kWh per month over 30 years, the consumer would spend more than R$800.000,00 thrown away in bills if there were no PV plants.
By installing a photovoltaic system, this bill would drop to less than R$100,00 on a two-phase system, allowing you to pay for the installation with the money that would otherwise be spent on the bill: 48 x R$400,00, without even touching your own pocket.
Imagine a market, bakery, etc., that invoices 10.000,00 to UFV. In some cases, they started paying less than 500,00.
So what was missing for 30% of the population to install it? Incentives $$$$$, misleading advertising, and a lack of proper disclosure of these zero-cost savings (the value of the bill itself).