Program aims to encourage growth of solar in RS

It was made official last Thursday (22), during an event held in Porto Alegre (RS), the creation of the Seal + sustainable energy, which attests to the work of companies with an annual turnover of R$4.8 million and who operate in the solar sector of Rio Grande do Sul.

The program will offer training for up to 30 integrators and encourage renewable energy financing.

This project is a unity between Banrisul, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae RS) and the National Industrial Learning Service (Senai-RS).

“Innovation is at the heart of Banrisul and the Bank increasingly acts at the service of society. The sum of these actors, the partnership with Sebrae, Senai and UFRGS, promotes the sustainable developmentl with a scientific and technical basis”, said Guilherme de Souza, deputy secretary of the Environment and Infrastructure of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

“The objective is to encourage growth of the photovoltaic sector and expand sustainable practices in the state. This becomes more effective when we combine knowledge from academia, the expertise of entities that offer training and encouragement from Banrisul”, highlighted Cláudio Coutinho, president of Banrisul.

Each institution has importance for the process carried out by the seal. UFRGS is responsible for creating the seal and the methodology for evaluating companies. Sebrae RS, in addition to offering workshops and management consultancy, will be one of the program's financiers.

Regarding Senai-RS, it will offer courses for installers and designers and Banrisul will subsidize, together with Sebrae RS, the training, in addition to financing sustainable projects.

To participate, companies are required to be defaulters as Banrisul and the Sebrae RS. The integrators previously selected by Banrisul will receive a subsidy from Sebrae RS to participate in the program.

“More than scientific publication, the social benefit that research provides for the Rio Grande do Sul community is important. The academy participates not only in the diagnosis and creation of the seal, but mainly in the maintenance, which is the most strategic stage for the success of the project”, said Geraldo Pereira Jotz, vice-rector of Innovation and Institutional Relations at UFRGS.

“This seal is a historic milestone for Rio Grande do Sul, as we are truly going to start the energy transition. It's a paradigm shift. It is a change in structure as a society”, emphasized professor Dr. Aline Cristiane Pan, from the Energy Management Engineering Course at UFRGS.

According to Paulo Bruscato, manager of the Sebrae RS Metropolitan Region, the entity seeks to get involved in projects that bring an effective return to the economy of Rio Grande do Sul.

“It is essential to have this partnership with Banrisul, as we will increase the competitiveness of micro and small companies in the sector, through the union of management, technical qualification, regional coverage and the possibility of financing, without bureaucracy. The seal is a step forward for Rio Grande do Sul”, he concluded.

Certification Levels

The Seal + sustainable energy will have three levels according to performance indicators: gold, for advanced projects; silver, for intermediate initiatives; and bronze, for basic models.

From this certification, according to the companies, it is expected to facilitate communication and relationships between interested parties, which are customers, dealerships, financial agents and companies in the segment.

The deadline for publishing the selected companies is 15 days and will be done on the Banrisul Portal.