Who are the biggest consumers of the Free Energy Market?

One lifting carried out by Exact Energy revealed that three industry sectors Brazilian company held until March this year around 42% of the total volume of energy sold in ACL (Free Contracting Environment). 

According to the study, of the 23.6 GWm sold on the Free Energy Market, almost 10 GWm had been acquired by companies linked to the energy sectors. metallurgy and metal products (4.89 GWm), food (2.74 GWm) and chemicals (2.29 GWm). 

“The main reason that explains these numbers is that these sectors are intensive in the use of electricity and to be more competitive they sought better conditions in the Free Market than what exists in the captive market”, highlighted Bernardo Marangon, director of Exata Energia.

Unlike the captive market, in which the consumer is obliged to purchase electricity through a single concessionaire and at regulated rates, in the Free Energy Market it is possible to choose different suppliers.

One of the advantages of this model is the possibility of negotiating not only the price of energy, but also adjustment rates, quantity to be supplied and period of supply.

Currently, the energy bill It is one of the most weighs on industry budgets, which may represent up to 40% of costs production for companies in different sectors.

Expansion of Mercado Livre

In October last year, the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy) expanded the opening of the Free Energy Market through the publication of Ordinance 50/2022 and allowing any consumer in the high voltage market to purchase energy from any supplier from January 1, 2024. 

Liberalization represented the first advance in relation to the 500 kW limit set by Law No. 9,427/1996. With the expansion of the market, the MME estimates that more than 106 thousand consumer units are expected to migrate to the ACL from next year. 

Now for low voltage customers, what exists at this moment is a signal from the Ministry that the ACL will open in 2026 for low commercial voltage consumers and that in 2028 it will open for all consumers. 

Renewable sources

O lifting of Exata Energia also identified, in percentage volumes, how much of energy generated by renewable sources was sold in the Free Energy Market until March this year. 

The study found that around 87% of the energy produced by biomass plants was destined for consumers in the free contracting environment. 

In hydroelectric plants, this index was 57%, while in solar and wind energy the percentage was 54% and 48%, respectively, as shown in the image below.