Sunshine brings more than nice weather

Inauguration of a one-megawatt photovoltaic installation in Florianópolis - a pilot project for developing solar energy in sun-drenched Brazil

The company headquarters of Eletrosul now has a new face. A photovoltaic installation glistens under the southern Brazilian sun on the roof of the building and the surrounding car park. Eletrosul, a subsidiary of the Brazilian energy supplier Eletrobras, has its main office in Florianópolis, the capital of the State of Santa Catalina.

The energy supplier wants to expand the production of 'green energy' even more in future. The new one-megawatt solar installation, which was inaugurated at the end of June in Florianópolis, is tangible evidence of such efforts.

This photovoltaic installation is a pilot project that is to pave the way for the development of renewable energies in the South American country. Up to now, two thirds of Brazilian energy production has been sourced from large-scale hydropower. It is a climate-friendly technology, but is also dependent on rainfall. As such it poses a threat to the energy supply during extended dry periods. But since dry periods bring more sunshine, Brazil wants to change its energy structure to also incorporate photovoltaic technologies. The project is supported by the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and KfW Development Bank are implementing the project.

With its intense solar radiation, Brazil has the best possible conditions for the broad application of solar technology. However, the country has thus far hardly used this natural energy source. The new installation in Florianópolis is the largest of its kind in all of Brazil and is intended to pique the interest of the population for this type of energy. With its highly visible placement on the roof, the installation will demonstrate that sunshine means more than 'just' good weather. For this reason, the company will be offering tours in future with the hope that as many companies, institutions and individuals as possible will follow this shining example.