Innovative Technologies

Along with preparing for progress through regulatory and policy reform, BEP will demonstrate the innovative use of low-carbon technologies to make Brazil greener and more inclusive.

Nine pilot projects with £9 million of funding will be launched to test the technical, financial and social viability of solar power, storage, smart grids, waste-to-energy and other forms of biofuels.

Companies are invited to participate in the pilot projects. More information and application for funding can be found here.

The pilot projects are designed to prove and improve these technologies to be scaled up for widespread use. They will demonstrate the innovative use of technology to reduce poverty, improve access to energy and promote social inclusion, as well as giving Brazil a sustainable, clean energy future.

International companies with expertise in low-carbon technologies will partner with Brazilian companies that will propose and co-fund the pilot projects.

First Pilot: Pilar Solar

The first pilot will install photovoltaic panels, batteries and smart monitoring systems to provide energy to low income families in a community in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area.

The pilot, implemented in association with the Light S.A. utility company, involves strong community engagement. Its purpose is to make electricity more affordable for low-income consumers. It will test the use of energy storage to allow time-of-use pricing, integration of solar and storage into the grid to reduce costs for consumers as well as use of smart meters and adapted billing to save billpayers money. A competition opened 17 August 2020 inviting British and international companies to participate.

Pilot Projects

Call for participation

British and international companies are invited to participate in a total of nine demonstration projects of innovative low-carbon technologies in Brazil, with £9 million in grant funding to be awarded. More information and application forms are here.

Approximately £3m in grant funding will be allocated to the first round - three pilot projects to demonstrate solar power, storage, and home energy management technology in Brazil.

The first pilot, Pilar Solar, will demonstrate photovoltaic panels, batteries and smart monitoring systems for low-income families in a community of Rio de Janeiro. The project will be undertaken in association with a local utility and involves strong community engagement. Future pilots will demonstrate scalable solar, storage and smart grid technology designed to address social and market challenges in Brazil.

The Brazil Energy Programme offers technical and commercial incubation support to all grant recipients to enter a new and exciting growth market.

Call for projects

Brazilian companies are invited to propose, co-fund, and participate in international pilot projects to demonstrate innovative uses of solar power, bioenergy, smart grids and adapted storage systems.

Nine pilot projects will demonstrate use of cutting-edge technologies that can be implemented at scale, in Brazil and potentially globally, as tools for green energy and social inclusion. For more information contact us here.

On September 10th, BEP held the Workshop “Investment in R&D and Innovation in Brazil: post-pandemic possibilities”. See below the BEP presentation about the pilot projects and the full video of the event.

Presentation download