Brazil’s Distributed Generation Capacity Exceeds 1 GW

• According to Aneel of Brazil, the country's installed distributed generation (DG) capacity exceeds 1 GW now with a total of 82,900 systems installed
• Solar PV DG capacity adds 873 MW to this total with 82,600 systems deployed, followed by 86 mini hydropower plants adding 81.3 MW
• Maximum DG capacity is installed in Minas Gerais with 212.3 MW, followed by 144.4 MW in Rio Grande do Sul and 117.4 MW in São Paulo

The installed distributed generation (DG) power capacity of Brazil has crossed the 1 GW mark with solar PV contributing the largest part – 873 MW from 82,600 systems deployed. Another contributor are 86 mini hydropower plants (CGH) with a total of 81.3 MW, according to data issued by Brazil's National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel).

The largest DG capacity with 212.3 MW is installed in Minas Gerais with 16,700 units, followed by 144.4 MW from 12,000 units in Rio Grande do Sul amd 117.4 MW from 14,500 units in São Paulo. "Altogether, there are 82,900 generating plants in the country, with 114,300 consuming units that receive the credits for the generated energy," stated Aneel. However, it does not specify the period when the 1 GW level was crossed exactly.

André Pepitone, director general of Aneel, called distributed generation in the power sector an equivalent to the smartphone revolution in telecommunications.

Till January 3, 2019, Brazil's DG capacity exceeded 500 MW according to Brazilian solar association ABSOLAR referring to Aneel numbers, with the commercial solar segment contributing 43.2% to the total (see Distributed Solar Crosses 500 MW Mark In Brazil).

ABSOLAR expects the country to expand its solar power capacity to a cumulative of 3.3 GW in total in 2019, growing annually by 44%.

There is huge interest in Brazil's solar PV sector – it received bids totalling 29.7 GW out of over 100 GW of total bids for the impending A-6 New Energy Auction scheduled for October 17, 2019 (see Over 100 GW Bids For Brazil's A-6 Oct 2019 Auction).