Brazil is projected to see a record expansion of centralized power generation capacity in 2023, with an increase of 10.3 GW, mostly from wind and solar power plants, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy and regulator Aneel.
This follows a significant increase in 2022, where 8.2 GW was added, second only to the previous record of 9.5 GW in 2016. The forecast for 2023 includes 298 new generating plants in 18 states, with a focus on Bahia (3.1 GW), Rio Grande do Norte (2.78 GW), and Minas Gerais (1.85 GW), that are expected to begin operation this year.
“This is a highly positive scenario for Brazil, which continues to lead the global search to preserve the planet with clean energy generation, since our growth is mainly based on renewable sources. I believe that in the coming years this expansion will be uniform. higher,” Mines and Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira said in a note.
As of the end of 2022, Brazil had a power generation capacity of 189 GW, with a significant portion coming from renewable sources such as hydro, solar, and wind.
According to the Ministry, nearly 30% of new solar and wind plants were contracted in a regulated environment, while the rest were in the free market.
The outlook for 2023 also looks positive for distributed power generation, particularly in small-scale projects (up to 5 MW) on roofs and solar facades. In 2022, distributed generation saw a significant increase, reaching 16.4 GW.
