EN 
PT_BR 
Since the end of 2021, the proposal to open the Mercado Livre de Energia for smaller consumers has been making progress.
In November, the CCEE (Electricity Trading Chamber), handed over to the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy) and the ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency), the first part of a study that suggests regulatory improvements necessary for this opening.
On January 31st, it was the turn of HUG (Brazilian Association of Energy Traders) deliver to the MME a proposed schedule for the gradual and sustainable opening for all consumers, including residential, until January 2026.
The document, together with studies by ANEEL and CCEE, will serve as the basis for a public consultation on the schedule in the coming weeks. Currently, the ACL (Free Contracting Environment) It is restricted only to consumers with contracted demand above 500 kW, such as industries, shopping malls and other medium and large companies.
“When we talk about ACL, it means that companies choose who they want to contract energy from and negotiate directly with generators and suppliers the purchase conditions, such as volume of energy contracted, supply period, among other aspects”, he explains. Braz Justi, CEO of Energy Sphere.
The executive also highlighted that, with this, it is possible to achieve savings of more than 30%, in addition to cost predictability, as companies are able to know how much they will spend during the term of the contract.
Growing market
Last year, consumption growth in the Free Energy Market was 6.1%, according to data from ABRACEEL. Currently, the segment is already responsible for 35% of all energy consumed in the country – CCEE estimates indicate that there are already almost 10 thousand free or special consumer agents in Brazil, around 16% more than recorded in 2020.
A study by CCEE itself also reveals that, by reducing the minimum required consumption, another 175 thousand consumer units connected to high voltage could join this business environment, increasing Mercado Livre's share to 46%.
The study also points out that thousands of other consumer units could already migrate to the ACL considering the current rules. “Many companies are still unaware of the dynamics of the Free Energy Market and the benefits they would have if they operated in this contracting environment”, commented Justi.
2 Responses
It's great that savings opportunities will reach any type of consumer.
When will Brazil wake up to solar energy?????
In addition to being “free” because you pay with the monthly amount that would go to the dealership, there is the profitability “savings of almost 90%” for the B
For UC type A, savings of almost 60%
Type B: one contains 1,000.00, in 30 years it gives 2,400,000.00 to the dealership, and you build a system in 48 installments of the same 1,000.00 (either pay that or pay 2,400,000.00)
Wake up: governments spend trillions a year (let's take that money and put it into hospitals, roads, education, security, etc...) stop throwing it in the dealerships gutter......