Brazil arrives at World Environment Day, celebrated this June 5th, with important advances in the climate agenda and an increasingly relevant role for solar energy in this process.
According to data from ABSOLAR According to the Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association, this energy source has already prevented the emission of more than 115,7 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) since 2012.
Currently, the sector has accumulated more than 70,3 GW of installed operational capacity throughout the country, having attracted more than R$ 313 billion in investments and generated more than 2,1 million jobs along the production chain.
The figures reinforce the role of solar energy in Brazil's energy transition and help explain the country's progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Data released by the Climate Observatory shows that Brazil recorded, in 2024, the largest reduction in emissions in the last 16 years and the second largest in the historical series that began in 1990.
Throughout that year, the country emitted 2,145 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent – a volume 16,7% lower than that recorded in 2023. However, when considering net emissions, which discount carbon capture by secondary forests and protected areas, the reduction reaches 22%.
The numbers could be even better.
Although the reduction in emissions represents an important step forward for the country, studies show that these numbers could be even better if Brazil were to commit a little more to its decarbonization policy, especially regarding the more intensive use of thermal power plants fueled by fossil fuels.
A survey released by IEMA (Institute of Energy and Environment) revealed, for example, that the generation of thermal power plants fueled by fossil fuels grew by 17% in 2024, reaching more than 74 TWh throughout the year — a volume higher than that recorded in 2023.
The data raises an alert about the future of Brazil's electricity grid, according to IEMA. The organization believes the scenario could become even more challenging after the contracting of approximately 19 GW of new thermal power plants through the LRCAP (Capacity Reserve Auction), held in March of this year.
The mechanism aims to increase the security of energy supply and guarantee additional power to the SIN (National Interconnected System), with the new contracted plants being able to emit up to 40 million tons of CO₂ per year – a volume similar to the total emissions of the state of Santa Catarina in 2024.
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