States of SP and RS approach 1 GW of installed power in solar DG

The states of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul are close to reaching the historic mark of 1 GW of installed solar power in DG (distributed generation) systems.

The cities of São Paulo together total 970 MW, while the cities of Rio Grande do Sul accumulate just over 930 MW, according to a survey carried out by the Solar Channel, based on data from ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency).

To date, the only federative unit in Brazil that has managed to surpass the 1 GW mark is Minas Gerais. In total, the region has almost 1.4 GW of installed photovoltaic power in small and medium-sized systems installed on roofs, facades and land.

The numbers recorded also show that the solar source in the two Brazilian states has already exceeded the entire installed power of the entire last year.

In São Paulo, 394 MW were accumulated in 2021, compared to 333 MW in 2020. In Rio Grande do Sul, 359 MW were already generated in less than 11 months, whereas 305 MW were recorded in the entirety of last year.

Currently, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul have, respectively, around 123.8 thousand and 118.4 thousand UCs (Consumer Units) receiving credits from more than 106.9 thousand and 94 thousand photovoltaic systems installed in each of the two Brazilian regions.

Know more: Solar energy breaks new record and reaches 12 GW in Brazil.

In addition to the popularization of the system, much of this increase is also directly related to the crisis created by the lack of rain in the country and the constant rises in the price of electricity bills, which has helped to increase the search for the installation of solar energy, especially in Brazilian states with greater purchasing power, such as São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. 

In the opinion of Gustavo Tegon, co-founder of Esfera Solar, having two more Brazilian states reaching close to 1 GW in solar DG is a huge milestone for the sector. “I link this growth not only to the purchasing power of these states, but also to the fact that information about solar energy is being more widespread in the market. Another point is the financing lines that are being made available to all Brazilians. All of this has meant that solar has reached these wonderful numbers,” he said.

Previously considered as a tool to reduce costs in large commercial establishments or large buildings, solar energy has now been installed in residential and commercial developments, rural properties and many others, and can be purchased at a lower price and with greater ease of financing.