The import volume of photovoltaic modules for Brazil already records a growth of 82,3% in 2021 compared to the full year of 2020, according to information from greener, a consultancy company specializing in the solar energy market.
According to the survey, the volume of equipment that entered the country between January and November reached the mark of 8,7 GW. In 2020, the numbers stood at 4,77 GW over the twelve months of the year.
“These are partial numbers until November. Volumes from December 2021 remain to be included.So, everything indicates that it will be a year of important growth and, even, of the order of 100% in relation to the volumes that entered in 2020”, highlights Marcio Takata, CEO of Greener.
The data recorded by the consultancy also takes into account the import volume of solar modules in previous years. Compared to 2018, for example, the rates recorded in 2021 are almost five times higher: 1,84 GW versus 8,70 GW.
Import of inverters
Data from the consulting company also indicate that the volume of photovoltaic inverters imported into Brazil reached the mark of 8,98 GW in 2021, 81,7% higher compared to the full year of 2020. When compared to 2018, the growth is almost 7,5 times greater. “We also saw an important evolution in inverter volumes in 2021. These are data up to November and will most likely exceed 9,5 GW by the end of the year to serve both centralized and distributed generation,” stated Takata .
Reduction in prices
According to Takata, the increase in technology imports to Brazil is related to the reduction in equipment prices over the years. “The market has been developing, generating more scale, increasing competition between companies and allowing costs to be reduced”, he highlighted.
The consultancy's numbers show that the prices of photovoltaic modules, even with the increase due to the pandemic and the increase in demand for equipment, are in the range of US$ 0,25 per watt. This is a higher value than at the beginning of the year (US$0,20), but around 30% lower than in 2018, when US$0,36 per watt was charged.
In the case of solar inverters, the reduction compared to 2018 is even greater: almost 50%. Four years ago, the import value of a 5 kW residential inverter in the country was US$0,12 per watt. Currently, the cost is US$0,07, Greener pointed out.
