Brazil reduces reliance on hydropower

• 8 months ago (2024-03-15)
• David Flin

Hydropower 131 Latin America 80 Solar 272 Wind 256

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Brazil has reduced the proportion of electricity generated by hydropower, replacing it with solar and wind, according to data from energy think tank Ember .

The share of electricity generated by hydro sources has dropped from 74 per cent in 2018 to 67 per cent in 2023, while solar and wind have increased their combined share of Brazil’s electricity generation from 9 per cent to 22 per cent over the same period. The use of coal and natural gas-fired power plants has fallen sharply since 2018, falling to a record low of 7.6 per cent in the electricity generation mix in 2023.

Brazil’s power regulator Aneel said that there are plans for the addition of 10.8 GW of solar capacity, 4.9 GW of wind capacity, 1.15 GW of biomass capacity, and 1.5 GW of hydropower capacity in 2024.