On October 21, 2009 the Congress’ Alternative Energy Sources Commission convened a hearing at which it approved a reform to Brazil’s current renewable energy legislation.
The reform enables the creation of a special fund to finance research and development in wind and solar energy, and to promote its deployment. The Brasilia-based NGO RENOVE (Rede Nacional de Organizações da Sociedade Civil para as Energias Renováveis) contributed to this achievement with funding from REEEP.
In 2007, REEEP funded a solar photovoltaic roof top program aimed at advancing a legal framework for the deployment of solar energy in Brazil. The project implemented by RENOVE involved extensive consultations with public and private sector energy stakeholders.
“The project supported by REEEP represents a substantial contribution to the prospective solar photovoltaic roof top program”, said Roberto Devienne, Executive Secretary of RENOVE. “Now that it has been approved, the newly drafted legislation submitted to the House of Representative’s Alternative Energy Sources Commission brings a renewed sense of hope for the Brazilian photovoltaic market”, said Devienne.
The law is to be reviewed by the Senate for approval and published in the national Gazette in its final version. “This represents an enormous opportunity for Brazil to advance the solar energy industry and create new jobs locally”, said Devienne. RENOVE worked closely with Congressman Paulo Teixeira of the State of Sao Paulo to develop this REEEP-supported initiative.
