EN 
PT_BR 
This Friday (5) Brazil surpassed the 17 GW of installed power from the solar source, adding the GC segment (centralized generation) and GD (distributed generation). This amount is the equivalent of 8.4% from the country's electrical matrix.
The survey was carried out by ABSOLAR (Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association). According to the entity, this volume of installed power from the solar source has already brought Brazil more than R$ 90.5 billion in new investments, R$ 24.6 billion in revenue to public coffers and generated more than 514 thousand jobs accumulated since 2012.
For Rodrigo Sauaia, CEO of ABSOLAR, the advancement of solar energy in the country, via large plants and through own generation in homes, small businesses, rural properties and public buildings, is fundamental for the economic, social and environmental development of Brazil.
“The source helps to diversify the country’s electricity supply, reducing pressure on water resources and the risk of further increases in the population’s electricity bills”, he comments.
“Large solar plants generate electricity at prices up to ten times lower than emergency fossil thermoelectric plants or electricity imported from neighboring countries, two of the main factors responsible for the tariff increase on consumers”, adds Sauaia.
Brazil has approximately 5.3 GW of installed power in large solar plants. Since 2012, large solar plants have brought more than R$ 27.3 billion in new investments to Brazil and accumulated more than 158 thousand jobs, in addition to providing revenue of R$ 8.7 billion to public coffers.
In the segment of own energy generation is more than 11.9 GW of installed power from the solar source. This is equivalent to more than R$ 63 billion in investments, R$ 15.9 billion in revenue and more than 356 thousand jobs accumulated since 2012, spread across the five regions of Brazil. Solar technology is currently used in 98% of all self-generation connections in the country, easily leading the segment.
Added to the installed capacities of large plants and own energy generation, the solar source occupies third place in the Brazilian electrical matrix, ahead of thermoelectric plants powered by natural gas and biomass.
Second Ronaldo Koloszuk, President of the Board of Directors of ABSOLAR, in addition to being competitive and affordable, solar energy is quick to install and helps to ease consumers' pockets, reducing their electricity costs by up to 90%. “Competitive and clean electrical energy is essential for the country to recover its economy and achieve growth. The solar source is part of this important solution”, he concludes.
