Brasília, 11 August 2026 – The renewable energy sector, backed by the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA), today urged Brazil’s Senate to prioritise legislative proposals on grid modernisation, energy storage, and electrification to boost the country’s global competitiveness. A summary of the debate will be submitted to Senate committees to inform policy decisions.
During a focused legislative session, the GRA and renewable energy leaders, supported the debate sin the Federal Senate, urging swift action on proposals to expand clean energy and accelerate Brazil’s energy transition. Senator Laércio Oliveira (PP-SE) led the session, which included Congress members, government officials, industry associations, private companies and industry experts.
Key priorities presented to senators include:
Participants argued that these measures are essential to attract long-term investment, strengthen energy security and enhance Brazil’s economic competitiveness.
The renewable energy sector recognised that both the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate have already approved several measures relating to renewable technologies. The priority now is to accelerate the progress of the remaining legislative proposals through both Houses of Congress. To support this effort, industry leaders will present technical and economic evidence to inform parliamentary decision-making.
A summary of the discussions held on 11 August will be compiled and submitted to the relevant Senate committees. The document is intended to strengthen the legislative debate and support the assessment of proposals concerning electricity grids, regulation and the conditions required to expand clean energy deployment.
The GRA, which brings together the renewable energy organisations and companies participating in the Senate session, maintains that the growth of renewable generation must be accompanied by public policies that prepare both the electricity system and the regulatory environment for a new wave of investment.
A GRA-commissioned survey of 1,994 business leaders across 18 countries revealed:
“The energy transition is far more than an environmental agenda; it is a competitiveness strategy for Brazil,” said Natália Oliveira, Head of Policy and Advocacy for Latin America at the GRA. “This Senate debate is an opportunity to align the sector’s priorities with the legislative decisions that will enable the expansion of renewable energy, modernise electricity infrastructure and create the conditions for a new cycle of investment and economic growth.”
João Daniel de Andrade Cascalho, National Secretary for Electricity at Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, told the Senate that renewable energy is an integral part of public policies aimed at expanding electricity supply, ensuring energy security and providing access to electricity for the most vulnerable communities.
“We work to ensure energy security with fairness and a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. When it comes to energy security, renewable energy plays an important role, as we need to work across several areas of infrastructure,” he said.
Letter to presidential candidates outlines sector priorities
The debate was guided by the letter to the 2026 Presidential Candidates, presented in Brasília in May by the Electrifica Brasil movement, led by the private sector. The document calls for renewable energy priorities to be incorporated into the presidential candidates’ policy platforms and sets out recommendations covering electricity costs, financing, infrastructure, and the regulatory framework.
The Senate session will represent the next stage of the Electrifica Brasil initiative by bringing these proposals into the parliamentary debate and strengthening engagement with policymakers. The event will also mark the Brazilian launch of the global Electrify Now campaign, introduced by the GRA during London Climate Action Week.
The campaign promotes electrification as a key driver of economic competitiveness, energy security and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. In Brazil, this agenda is advanced through the Electrifica Brasil initiative, which seeks to broaden the national discussion on the role of electrification in economic development.
Elbia Gannoum, Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance’s Private Sector Mobilisation Committee and Chief Executive Officer of the Brazilian Wind Energy and New Technologies Association (ABEEólica), will discuss the conditions needed to expand the contribution of both onshore and offshore wind energy to Brazil’s energy transition.
“Brazil, unlike the rest of the world, needs to manage an abundance of energy resources, particularly renewable resources. While the world is discussing how to secure the supply of renewable energy in order to drive the necessary energy transition, Brazil needs to discuss how to manage this wealth”.
Gannoum acknowledged that the National Congress has taken positive action in this area, particularly over the past two years, by approving a series of laws related to the energy transition and the use of renewable energy. These laws are now with the Executive Branch and are undergoing the regulatory process, “which will be fundamental to the development of the energy sector, particularly renewable energy, as we address climate change and the much-needed energy transition.”
Expansion could deliver social, economic and energy security benefits
During the session, industry representatives highlighted the benefits associated with expanding renewable energy.
The first is the social dividend, reflected in the fact that 97% of Brazil’s population already has access to renewable electricity through the National Interconnected System.
The second is the green dividend, linked to Brazil’s opportunity to expand the production of low-carbon, high-value-added goods and services, including sustainable data centres, green hydrogen and electrified industrial processes.
The third is the energy security dividend, resulting from the country’s reduced exposure to fluctuations in fossil fuel supply and prices amid global geopolitical tensions.
Rodrigo Lopes Sauaia, Executive President of the Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association (ABSOLAR), spoke to parliamentarians about the contribution of solar power to expanding the supply of renewable electricity and supporting the electrification of the economy. He also said: “There are, indeed, many important decisions concerning the renewable energy sector that are made both in the Senate and in the Chamber of Deputies. However, it is also important that the Executive Branch, regardless of who wins this year’s election, places the energy transition at the heart of our country’s development.”
Chile’s Ambassador to Brazil, Issa Farid Kort Garriga, said that renewable energy represents an opportunity to strengthen integration among Latin American countries. Brazil and Chile, he noted, already have a permanent commission to promote cooperation in the energy and mining sectors. The challenge is “how to transform our natural advantages into productive capacity to generate renewable energy”. This is an opportunity to promote energy integration between our countries and support the development of renewable energy,” he said during the Senate session.
Glauco Freitas, Head of South LATAM and Country Managing Director, Brazil, at Hitachi Energy, said the Senate session was important for the renewable energy sector. “This is an ideal moment because it gives us the opportunity to bring to the forefront the issues that may be holding back the expansion of renewables. Energy storage is essential for a system that needs to be robust, as is the case with Brazil’s electricity system,” he said.
The session also included Roberta Cox, from the Brazilian Offshore Wind Coalition (CEM) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC); Fernanda Delgado, from the Brazilian Green Hydrogen Industry Association (ABIHV); Camila Fernandes from the Brazilian Association of Electricity Generating Companies (ABRAGE); Lieven Cooreman, from Atlas Agro Brasil; Angela Livino, from the International Hydropower Association (IHA); and Rosana Santos, from Energia+, Eber Galarza, President of the National Institute of Clean Energy (INEL).
The event also brought together parliamentarians, representatives of the Federal Government, companies, industry associations and experts, including João Daniel Cascalho, from the Ministry of Mines and Energy; Thiago Ivanoski, from the Energy Research Office (EPE); Senator Tereza Cristina; Federal Deputy Danilo Forte; and former Federal Deputy José Carlos Aleluia.
The Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) is a global alliance of renewable energy industry associations. It works with governments, industry, investors and other stakeholders to advance the policies, partnerships and investment needed to accelerate renewable energy deployment in line with the global 3xRenewables target to deliver secure, competitive and resilient energy systems.
Founded by the Global Wind Energy Council, the Global Solar Council, the Green Hydrogen Organisation, the International Geothermal Association, the International Hydropower Association, and the Long Duration Energy Storage Council, GRA provides a unified voice across wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, green hydrogen, energy storage and grids.
