Solar, wind lift Brazil power capacity in January

Brazil expanded its power generation capacity to 191,080MW in January, including distributed generation units, led by gains in solar and wind, according to data from the mines and energy ministry.

Generation capacity rose by 6.3pc compared to the same month in the previous year, as solar capacity jumped by 68pc during the year to 13,511MW.

Wind generation capacity rose by 23pc to 21,180MW, while thermal capacity climbed by 4.1pc to 46,969MW.

Data also showed rainfall exceeded the January average for all regions except the south, helping the country replenish its reservoirs for hydro generation.

By Rebecca Gompertz