Industry Session: Brazil - A key player in the global renewable energy game
Brazil is one of the world’s front-runners in renewable energy, a position that reflects both its natural potential and its commitment to a cleaner energy future. With about 88% of its electricity coming from renewable sources in 2024, Brazil stands out as one of the few large economies powered predominantly by clean energy. Solar power, in particular, has taken the spotlight. Over the past few years, the country has seen spectacular growth in photovoltaic generation, surpassing 50 GW of installed capacity and producing roughly 70 TWh in 2024, a jump of more than 28% compared to 2023, consolidating the country as the fourth biggest solar photovoltaic market in the world in 2024.The International Energy Agency (IEA) highlights Brazil as a key player in the global expansion of renewables, especially solar, and one of the leaders in distributed generation, where individuals and businesses produce their own electricity. Yet, as every success story shows, growth comes with challenges. Expanding transmission infrastructure, ensuring regulatory stability, and securing affordable financing remain critical to sustaining this momentum. These are not just technical or economic issues; they are strategic questions about how Brazil will shape the next phase of its energy transition. At the same time, opportunities abound: the country’s vast solar potential, combined with innovation in storage, green hydrogen, and digital energy management, could redefine Brazil’s role as a global renewable energy hub.
Speakers
Rodrigo Sauaia (ABSOLAR)
Rodrigo Sauaia is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Brazilian Solar Photovoltaic Energy Association (ABSOLAR), the national entity representing companies and professionals across the solar PV value chain in Brazil. He is also a Co-founder and Board Member of the Global Solar Council (GSC), which unifies and represents the global solar power sector at the international level. Rodrigo holds a Ph.D. with honours in Engineering and Materials Technology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, with international collaboration at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) in Germany. He also earned an M.Sc. with honours in Renewable Energy from the EUREC Master Program, including academic work at ETH Zürich in Switzerland, and a B.Sc. with honours in Chemistry from the University of São Paulo. His career has been dedicated to advancing solar energy as a key pillar of sustainable development in Brazil and globally.
Roberto Valer (Huawei)
Dr. Roberto Valer is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Huawei Digital Power Brazil, responsible for technical leadership in Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) applications. Before joining Huawei, he was a researcher at renowned solar energy institutes, including the Institute of Energy and Environment of the University of São Paulo (IEE/USP – Brazil), and the Centre for Renewable Energy at Engineering University of Peru. He holds a Ph.D. in Energy. Roberto has also contributed to the development of national technical standards and served as the rapporteur of ABNT NBR 16274, which establishes guidelines for photovoltaic commissioning in Brazil.
Rennyo Nakabayashi (Lightsource BP)
Rennyo Kunizo Nakabayashi, Engineering Manager at Lightsource BP, has experience in large renewable energy projects, holds a degree in Electrical Engineering (POLI-USP) and a Master’s in Energy (IEE-USP). At Lightsource BP, he works on technical-commercial analyses for large-scale power plants, BESS and energy solutions. He conducts feasibility studies, engineering designs, modeling, and integration of new technologies such as BESS. Passionate about energy, innovation, and technology, he strives to align practical engineering with long-term sustainable solutions.
Isabela Maciel Taveira (SENAI/FIEC)
Advisor for Energy Transition at SENAI Ceará, works on fostering strategic partnerships and developing projects in professional training and innovation. Graduated in Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), she also completed a scholarship of the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (Capes) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with a sandwich undergraduate program in Germany. Currently she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Smart Grids at UFC and is professor in the postgraduate program in Renewable Energy Management at Instituto Euvaldo Lodi (IEL). Additionally, she also holds a specialization in Renewable Energy and a technical specialization in Wind Energy.
Ricardo do Couto (Qair)
Civil Engineer from the University of Fortaleza, with an MBA in Corporate Finance from PUC Rio de Janeiro, a specialization in Social Project Evaluation from PUC Santiago, Chile, and an Executive MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. I have built a solid career spanning more than 25 years in the energy sector, having developed projects in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, and Spain. I currently serve as Development Manager at Qair Brasil, overseeing the Social and Environmental areas as well as the development of new onshore and offshore wind, solar, hydrogen (H₂), and BESS projects, identifying opportunities, trends, and market demands. I am passionate about energy transition topics, as I believe it represents a journey toward a more sustainable world.
Alessandra Grangeiro (Pecém Complex )
Alessandra Grangeiro has been the Manager of Industrial Business and Export Processing Zone (ZPE) at the Development Company of the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex (CIPP S.A.), better known as the Pecém Complex, since 2019. Over the past 15 years, she has built her professional career in the areas of social responsibility, the third sector, institutional/government relations, and commercial new business development, such as Pecém’s Green Hydrogen HUB. She is a member of the Brazilian Association of Institutional and Government Relations (ABRIG) and the Brazilian Hydrogen Association (ABH2).