Brazil’s top energy planner Luiz Augusto Barroso is already indicating that wind, along with other renewables, is a mainstream technology and should have a role to play in the supply security of the system over the next 10 years. But wind has changed the way Brazil’s mainly hydroelectric-thermal power generation system is operated and planned.

Under the 2017-2026 10-year plan (PDE2026) published by the Brazilian energy planning authority (EPE) – headed by Barroso – last year, wind should more than double to over 28GW, since it is considered one of the most cost-effective technologies.