Solar was responsible for 47% of electricity matrix growth in July

Photovoltaic source led expansion of the month, remaining ahead of wind, thermal and water plants
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Solar foi responsável por quase metade do crescimento da matriz elétrica em julho
Start-up of solar plants in the national electricity matrix was 330.51 MW in July. Photo: Envato Elements

O growth in electrical matrix Brazilian verified in the month of July this year was from 708.78 MW, according to data recorded by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency). Of this amount, almost half (47%) is due to the entry into commercial operation of photovoltaic solar plants, with a total of 330.51 MW. 

To the wind power plants that began to operate commercially in July total 184.12 MW. Already the thermoelectric plants account for 145.85 MW; while the hydroelectric plants, 47.3 MW. One hydroelectric generating plant also recorded the entry of 1 MW in the matrix.

In total, the expansion seen in 2022, until July, was 3,124 MW, with new projects in 16 states across the five Brazilian regions. The states with the greatest expansion in electrical generation capacity are, in descending order, Bahia (556.02 MW), Rio Grande do Norte (521.14 MW) and Minas Gerais (456.05 MW).

The total installed power in Brazil, until June, was 184,140.5 MW, of which 83.13% are driven by sources considered sustainable, with low greenhouse gas emissions.

Growth of solar in the electrical matrix

According to ANEEL, with the July data update, operational solar energy capacity in Brazil is approaching the 3% mark of participation in the national electricity matrix. 

At the moment, the percentage is 2.97%, whereas in 2016 this index was just 0.1%. In 2018, it rose to 1.4% and, in January 2022, it already represented 2.4%. In total, ANEEL expects another 2.4 GW of solar energy to come into operation during the months of August and December. 

By 2030, solar sources should represent at least 10% of the entire Brazilian electrical matrix, and could even surpass traditional hydroelectric plants, which today represent more than 55% of Brazilian capacity. This is what projections from EPE (Energy Research Company) point out.

Picture of Henrique Hein
Henrique Hein
He worked at Correio Popular and Rádio Trianon. He has experience in podcast production, radio programs, interviews and reporting. Has been following the solar sector since 2020.

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