09/04/2023

Brazil passes 25% wind and solar for the first time

Data released by energy think tank Ember today, reveals that in the month of July Brazil generated more than a quarter of its electricity from wind and solar for the first time.

Image: Ember

Wind and solar generated a record 27% of Brazil’s electricity (14 TWh) in July, with 19% (10 TWh) from wind and 8% (4.1 TWh) from solar. This strong performance from renewables pushed fossil fuels to just 8.9% (4.7 TWh).

Across the year to date, the increase in wind and solar (+20 TWh) has more than met the continuing increase in demand (+12 TWh). Wind and solar generated 19% of Brazil’s electricity this year so far, compared to 15% in 2022. This increase has allowed Brazil to decrease its use of fossil fuels by 6.5 TWh this year so far, with fossil fuels producing just 6.9% of Brazil’s electricity, compared to 8.9% in 2022. Hydro is still Brazil’s main source of electricity, generating 70% this year so far, compared to 73% in 2022.

In May, Ember published an analysis that revealed that fossil fuels generated less than 5% of Brazil’s electricity in February, for the first time in a decade. This record was driven by strong long-term growth of wind and solar and improvement in hydroelectricity performance.

The outlook for Brazil’s clean power growth is positive. So far this year, solar panel imports (9.5 GW) and deployments have kept up with last year’s record-breaking pace, and reservoirs are expected to be at high levels at the end of the dry season. With good conditions, the share of fossil fuels could fall even further early next year.

Brazil is well-positioned to lead the way as the world moves towards 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2040, with the majority wind and solar, as set out by the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Roadmap.

Ember’s data analyst, Nicolas Fulghum, said “Brazil is now among just 25 countries worldwide that have hit the milestone of a quarter wind and solar across a full month. Its ambition is propelling it forwards quickly, with the year-on-year growth rate for wind and solar at 37% as of July, which is above the global average. There’s been a real step-change in Brazil’s clean energy transition, with growth in wind and solar this year twice as fast as in 2022.”