SIZING OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY IN BRAZIL

Climate change occurring at an accelerated pace has caused shortage of water supply, so studies have been necessary in order to prepare activities that make use of water. According to the National Water Resources Policy (PNRH), water is a public asset and, in situations of scarcity, the priority use of water resources is restricted to human consumption and animal watering. Also according to the PNRH, the management of water resources must always provide multiple uses of water. To resolve this issue, other energy sources must be used, preferably renewable. This study addresses the use of photovoltaic energy as an alternative to hydraulic energy, since Brazil has a natural aptitude for generating solar energy. There are different types of solar modules and inverters which impact the cost of implementing the photovoltaic system. Considerable variations were noticed between the possible solar modules and inverters arrangements for all the studied profiles. The aim of this work is to find the most cost-effective way of meeting energy consumption needs. The costs of implementing photovoltaic energy in homes and businesses were calculated and the importance of the existence of public policies to encourage the implementation of the system was highlighted, especially for households, whose energy consumption is an expense. It’s noteworthy that the use of this energy is in line with the current global demand for sustainable energy sources.