In line with global trends, solar electricity generation in Brazil has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2024, solar energy generation in the South American country surpassed **** terawatt hours, increasing by ** percent in comparison with the previous year. Solar accounted for *** percent of Brazil's electricity generation in 2023.

Wind electricity generation in Brazil has seen continual annual growth over the last decade. In 2023, the South American country generated over ** terawatt hours of wind power, an increase of roughly ** percent in comparison to the previous year. In total, the country had an installed wind energy capacity of over ** gigawatts at the end of 2023.
Wind energy in Brazil’s electricity mix Wind power is the second-largest source of renewable electricity in Brazil, after hydropower. Overall, wind accounted for a **** percent share of Brazil's electricity production in 2023. The Northeastern region of the country is by far the largest wind energy producer, with almost ** terawatt hours generated in 2023. That equates to more than ** percent of Brazil’s wind power production that year. The states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte are in the forefront of wind energy generation.
The future of wind energy in Brazil Brazil has set a target of ** gigawatts of wind energy installed by 2030, as per their Ten-Year Energy Expansion Plan. This is a slightly higher amount than the current installed capacity, and, looking at the country’s wind energy pipeline, the target will be surpassed. As of December 2023, Brazil had more than *** gigawatts of prospective wind energy capacity in the pipeline, with *** gigawatts already under construction and ** gigawatts in the pre-construction stage.

The installed capacity for electricity generation in Brazil has been continuously increasing in recent years. In 2023, the South American country's installed capacity surpassed *** gigawatts. That same year, Brazil's electricity generation stood at almost *** terawatt-hours.

Hydropower is by far the main source for electricity generation in Brazil, accounting for around ** percent of the country's output in 2023. Other renewable sources like wind and biomass represented **** and *** percent of Brazil's electric power production, respectively. In 2022, electricity generation in Brazil stood at roughly *** terawatt-hours.

Brazil's renewable energy sector has seen remarkable growth in recent years, with investments reaching **** billion U.S. dollars in 2023. This figure represents a slight decrease from the record-breaking **** billion invested in 2022, but still marks a significant increase compared to previous years. Overall, Brazil ranked as one of the regions with the highest renewable energy investment worldwide in 2023. Solar power dominates investments Solar energy has emerged as the primary focus of renewable investments in Brazil. In 2023, solar investments stood at approximately ** billion U.S. dollars, accounting for a much larger share than wind energy and biomass. The emphasis on solar power is further evidenced by Brazil's rapidly expanding solar photovoltaic capacity, which reached ** gigawatts in February 2025. Renewable energy production in Brazil In total, Brazil's renewable electricity generation reached a record high of ***** terawatt hours in 2023, showcasing the country's commitment to sustainable power sources. Hydroelectric power plants remain the backbone of Brazil's renewable energy sector, accounting for approximately ** percent of the country's renewable power generation in 2023. Hydropower production reached about *** gigawatt hours during that year, and was followed by wind and solar power. This reliance on hydropower has helped Brazil maintain a high percentage of renewable sources in its electricity mix, with renewables contributing roughly ** percent of the country's electricity in 2023.

China consumes by far the most electricity of any country in the world, with almost 9,000 terawatt-hours equivalent consumed in 2024. The United States ranked as the second-leading electricity consumer that year, with over 4,000 terawatt-hours consumed. India followed, but by a wide margin. Production and consumption disparities China not only leads countries in electricity consumption worldwide, it also dominates production, generating over 10 petawatt-hours annually. The United States follows with 4.6 petawatt-hours, significantly more than its consumption of 4,065 terawatt-hours. This disparity underscores the complex relationship between production and consumption, influenced by factors such as energy efficiency, export capabilities, and domestic demand. The global expansion of electricity networks, particularly in Central and Southern Asia, is driving increased production to meet growing access and demand. Shifting energy landscapes The United States, as the second-largest consumer, is experiencing a significant shift in its energy mix. Coal-based electricity has declined by nearly 65 percent since 2010, giving way to natural gas and renewable sources. This transition is evident in recent capacity additions, with renewable energy sources accounting for almost 90 percent of new electricity capacity in 2025. The surge in renewable generation, particularly wind power, is reshaping the U.S. energy landscape and influencing consumption patterns. As renewable energy consumption is projected to more than double by 2050, the electricity market is adapting to these changing dynamics.

In 2023, China was the leading country in terms of hydroelectricity generation worldwide with approximately ******** terawatt hours generated from hydro sources. In comparison, Russia's hydropower facilities generated some ****** terawatt hours of energy that year. Hydropower capacity Brazil and Canada led the world in hydropower generation in 2023 after China, totaling ****** terawatt hours and ****** terawatt hours, respectively. In 2023, about 28 percent of the total hydropower energy consumption worldwide occurred in China. Over three-quarters of the country’s electric power supply relies on hydroelectric power. In 2022, China added ** gigawatts of hydropower capacity. Hydroelectricity in Brazil Much of Brazil’s hydropower potential arises from the northern Amazon River basin. However, the majority of the country’s population lives along the eastern coast as well as the southern parts of the River. The distance and separation of the majority of the country’s hydroelectric resources and its demand has caused some reliability issues. For example, the 2014 drought led to many blackouts in various regions across the nation. A Belo Monte dam along the Xingu River was completed in 2019 and will be the second-largest hydroelectric dam in Brazil. Currently, the Itaipu Dam, located between Brazil and Paraguay along the Paraná River, is the second-largest dam in the world and has a generating capacity of ****** megawatts. However, the construction of large new hydroelectric power plants can create environmental impacts that alter important ecosystems, such as altering the primary flow of water systems.

From 2010 to 2023, global hydroelectric energy production experienced substantial growth, reaching approximately **** petawatt hours in 2023. Hydropower is one of the most widely used and reliable sources of renewable energy, utilizing mechanical structures, such as dams and watermills, to harness energy from the moving water. By 2023, the installed capacity of renewable power worldwide had surpassed **** terawatts, with about **** terawatts of this capacity derived from hydropower. Major players in the global hydropower sector China dominates the global hydropower sector, with an installed capacity of ****** gigawatts as of 2023. In 2022 alone, China added ** gigawatts to its hydropower capacity. Brazil and the United States follow with ***** gigawatts and ****** gigawatts of installed capacity, respectively in 2023. These countries are also among the largest consumers of hydropower, with China consuming *** exajoules, Brazil 1.5 exajoules, Canada 1.2 exajoules, and the United States 0.9 exajoules. Employment in the hydropower sector is similarly heavily concentrated in China, accounting for approximately **** percent of the global workforce in this industry. Economic outlook and challenges The global hydropower market is expected to continue growing, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of *** percent projected between 2023 and 2029. This growth trajectory would see the market value increase from *** billion U.S. dollars in 2023 to an estimated *** billion U.S. dollars by 2029. Despite the many benefits of hydropower, there are notable drawbacks. The construction of hydropower plants can cause significant environmental disruption, including the displacement of communities and wildlife habitats, alteration of water flow, and impacts on local ecosystems. Additionally, the high initial costs of building hydropower plants and their dependence on geographical and climatic conditions present further challenges.