Distributed solar fastest-growing power source in Brazil

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that distributed solar generating capacity is the fastest-growing power source in Brazil, reaching 40 GW installed through June 30, 2025, and accounting for 43% of all electricity capacity additions since 2019.

• Main finding & figures: Distributed solar grew from <1 GW in 2018 to 40 GW by June 30, 2025; utility-scale solar was 17.9 GW at the same date; total solar represented 23% of Brazil’s total electric generating capacity. The EIA cites ANEEL data showing >3.7 million renewable distributed generation systems installed as of June 30, 2025 and 99% of distributed capacity is solar.
• Policy and project context: Brazil’s net metering framework (ANEEL rules from 2012, updated 2015, and a 2022–2023 law/regulation) shaped eligibility and capacity limits (initially up to 1 MW, raised to 5 MW for solar in 2015; limits for systems with storage set at 3 MW in 2022/2023). ANEEL lists 122 GW of planned utility-scale solar projects in its data as of June 30, 2025, with 6 GW currently under construction; the largest state distributed capacities are São Paulo (5.8 GW), Minas Gerais (4.9 GW), Paraná (3.7 GW), Rio Grande do Sul (3.4 GW), and Mato Grosso (2.6 GW).