Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Solar Country Notes

Brazil
The resource potential is available in two publications: Atlas Solarimétrico do Brasil- Banco de Dados Terrestre, UFPE, 2000 and Atlas de Irradiação Solar do Brasil, LABSOLAR-UFSC & DGE-INPE, 1998. However, the methodologies used in the Atlases are different. The former is a model based on ground station information and the latter uses a model based on satellite data.

The total photovoltaic power installed in Brazil is estimated to be between 12 and 15 MWp, 50% of the projects are for telecommunications systems and the other 50% for rural energy systems, but specific capacity data are not collected.

The Brazilian Government established PRODEEM - Programa de Desenvolvimento Energético de Estados e Municípios (Programme for Energy Development of States and Municipalities) in December 1994. The aim of the Programme is to provide energy for the basic social demands of poor communities isolated from conventional systems. PRODEEM uses photovoltaic systems to supply energy to schools, health clinics, water pumping, etc. The total PV power installed under PRODEEM stands at over 5 MWp.