Brazil's electricity landscape is commendably green, with over 88% of its electricity derived from low-carbon sources over the period from September 2024 to August 2025. Hydropower continues to be the backbone of Brazil's clean electricity, supplying more than half of the country's overall electricity needs. Wind power also contributes significantly, harnessing the natural energy of the wind to provide almost 16% of electricity. Solar power, a frontrunner in sustainable technology, is catching up with this trend, providing about 11% of the electricity. Not to be overlooked, nuclear power is adding its reliable energy to the mix. In contrast, fossil fuels account for close to 12% of the electricity generation, with gas and coal making up the bulk of this share. As Brazil moves forward, the challenge lies in transitioning other sectors, such as transport and industry, towards electrification to achieve further reductions in fossil fuel use.
Is Electricity Growing in Brazil?
Despite Brazil's impressive low-carbon portfolio, concerns arise from the recent decline in electricity consumption. In 2025, the per-person electricity consumption fell to 3,425 kWh from a 2024 high of 3,584 kWh, indicating a slight downturn of 160 kWh. More significantly, low-carbon electricity generation per person also saw a decline of 135 kWh, from last year's record of 3,156 kWh to 3,021 kWh. This stagnation is worrying as Brazil aims to power a more electrified future, which necessitates an increase in clean electricity production to address the escalating demands from growing sectors and technologies like AI.
Suggestions
To counteract these trends, Brazil has ample opportunities to bolster its clean electricity generation. Expansion of wind and solar infrastructures, already substantial contributors to the energy mix, could meet a significant portion of the required increase. Investing in additional solar farms would capitalize on Brazil's plentiful sun exposure. Similarly, augmenting wind energy installations would expand upon the existing capacity. On a parallel track, embracing nuclear energy would provide a stable and scalable source to meet demand, complementing the intermittency of solar and wind. By focusing on these sustainable and scalable low-carbon solutions, Brazil can pave the way to a robust, electrified future free from fossil fuel dependency.
History
Looking back at the history of Brazil's low-carbon electricity generation, hydropower has seen a series of fluctuations since the 1980s, with notable increases in capacity in years like 1984, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. However, this was tempered by significant declines, particularly in 2001 and again in 2013 and 2021, underscoring the challenges in managing water resources amidst climate variability. Meanwhile, the more recent history has seen tremendous successes in solar and wind energy expansion. In 2021, wind power surged forward with 15.2 TWh of additional electricity. Then, solar energy took center stage in 2023, adding 21.3 TWh and an additional 23.2 TWh in 2024. These bright spots in the country's electricity economy illustrate how investment in innovative, clean energy solutions can help secure a sustainable, power-rich future.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.