Brazil has launched a bid to boost its domestic solar manufacturing industry.
The move comes in the wake of a devastating drought which strangled Brazil’s prevalent hydropower sector.
Brazil is currently drafting local-content policies designed to spur the development of a domestic solar manufacturing industry.
The country’s Energy Research Agency (EPE) and the state development bank BNDES are due to announce new local-content policies and regulations in the coming weeks.
Currently the country gets just 1% of its electricity from solar power. However, it’s hoped its first national auction in October which plans to sell power produced from sunlight will boost that figure.
Mauricio Tolmasquim, the head of EPE, said: “We are now discussing the right dosage for the program, what would be the ideal level of requirement.
“It can’t be too loose, otherwise we would have only Chinese equipment in the sector, but it can’t be too strict. Otherwise it would be impossible to have Brazilian-made equipment in such a short time. We have to encourage investments, without scaring companies.”
Brazil’s worst drought in 50 years dramatically cut the country’s hydropower output, which currently accounts for 70% of its installed capacity. The mass dry-out has spurred the country to seek power alternatives. Brazil now expects to contract 3.5 gigawatts of solar power between 2014 and 2018.
Recommended for you
