Photovoltaics and the Built Environment in Brazil

In Brazil, hydroelectricity has been the major and lowest-cost electricity source and currently accounts for ~62% of the electric-power market. With wind supplying an additional 12.5%, Brazil has been cited as an example for renewable-electricity production. However, the emerging concerns for the environmental and social impacts of hydro have led to policies that limit hydroelectric expansions. Additionally, growing periods of drought are restricting existing generation capacities and services. This has led to higher electricity prices and increased investments in new, clean energy sources. Photovoltaics (PV) has emerged as a primary candidate to meet the economic, reliability, and versatility requirements. Solar electricity is well-matched to Brazil’s excellent solar resource with the annual average global horizontal irradiation (GHI) that varies between 4.2 and 6.2 kWh/m2, with the highest solar irradiances in the northeast regions. This chapter highlights the evolution and recent growth of PV installations in Brazil. This is associated with policy and regulations, local meteorological and climate conditions, and economic and social considerations. In particular, the effects of government strategies are discussed and evaluated for the impact on PV in buildings. PV’s growing use and applications in the building sector are highlighted. The status, relative benefits, and trends of building-applied and building-integrated PV (BAPV and BIPV) are evaluated. Some examples of current BAPV and BIPV are presented. Features of building design and requirements are analyzed for single-family dwellings through commercial tower structures for the diverse Brazil climate conditions. Special needs and issues for the working-class neighborhoods are discussed along with the prospects for PV in these areas. The potential and future for PV in the Brazil built-environment markets are considered.