🇧🇷 Solar Calculator Brazil

Enter your monthly electricity bill and city — get solar system size, panel count, cost in BRL, ICMS exemption value, Marco Legal net metering, and payback period.

Your electricity situation

Monthly electricity bill?

R$BRL

City?

State (for ICMS exemption)?

System size?

kWp

Net metering (Marco Legal 2024)?

Brazil solar system results

11 × 550W panels (6.0 kWp system)

Monthly consumption444 kWh/mo

Annual solar production8.760 kWh/yr

Load coverage100%

Self-consumption savingsR$4.800/yr

Net metering compensationR$2.005/yr

ICMS exemption valueR$1.971/yr

Total annual savingsR$8.776/yr

Est. system costR$36.000

Payback period4.1 yrs

25-year net savingsR$183.390

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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly electricity bill

Brazilian electricity rates vary significantly by distributor and consumption band — CEMIG, COPEL, ENEL, CELPE, COELBA, ENERGISA all have different rates. The calculator uses the national average of R$0.90/kWh as a baseline. For a precise calculation, divide your bill total (excluding taxes you cannot avoid) by the kWh consumed shown on your bill.

Select your state for ICMS exemption

Under CONFAZ Agreement 16/2015, most Brazilian states grant ICMS tax exemption on electricity generated and consumed from solar panels. This effectively reduces your grid electricity cost by ~25% (the ICMS rate). Check whether your state has signed the agreement — most major states have. The exemption applies to self-consumed solar energy and also reduces the ICMS component on grid consumption.

Understand the Marco Legal 2024 net metering changes

Brazil's Marco Legal da Microgeração (Law 14.300/2022), fully in effect since January 2023, changed how exported solar energy is compensated. New systems pay TUSD (transmission and distribution use fee) on electricity exported to the grid, reducing the effective export credit to roughly 60-65% of the retail tariff. Self-consumed energy (used directly in your home when panels are producing) retains full value. This makes right-sizing your system — to maximize self-consumption — more important than ever.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill (R$) ÷ R$0.90/kWh (avg rate) Annual Production = System kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 Self-consumed savings = min(Production, Consumption) × R$0.90/kWh Export compensation = Excess kWh × R$0.90 × 0.65 (Marco Legal factor) ICMS saving = Annual Production × R$0.90 × 0.25 (ICMS rate, exempt states) System Cost = kWp × 1,000W × R$6/Wp (mid-range estimate) Payback = System Cost ÷ Total Annual Savings 25-yr Savings = Annual Savings × 25 − System Cost

The R$6/Wp cost estimate represents mid-range installed systems in Brazil in 2026. Budget systems start at R$5/Wp; premium systems with microinverters or hybrid inverters go R$7-9/Wp. Always request itemized quotes and verify the inverter brand and warranty — the inverter is the most failure-prone component.

Example

Lucas and Ana — House in Belo Horizonte

Lucas and Ana pay R$400/month to CEMIG in Minas Gerais. They install a 6 kWp system with 11 × 550W panels, enrolled in net metering.

Monthly billR$400 (444 kWh/mo)

CityBelo Horizonte (5.0 PSH)

StateMinas Gerais — ICMS exempt

System6 kWp, 11 × 550W panels

Result

Annual production~8,760 kWh/yr

Load coverage~164% (large surplus)

Self-consumption savings~R$4,800/yr

Export compensation~R$2,600/yr

ICMS exemption~R$1,970/yr

Total annual savings~R$9,370/yr

System costR$36,000

Payback~3.8 years

25-yr net savings~R$198,000

Brazil's combination of falling panel prices, rising electricity tariffs, and ICMS exemption makes residential solar extremely attractive. Lucas and Ana's 3.8-year payback means 21 years of essentially free electricity from a system designed to last 25+ years.

FAQ

What changed with Brazil's Marco Legal da Microgeração in 2024? ▼

Brazil's Law 14.300/2022 (Marco Legal da Microgeração Distribuída), fully effective since January 2023, introduced a gradual reduction in net metering compensation for new systems. The main change: exported solar energy now incurs TUSD (Tarifa de Uso do Sistema de Distribuição) and TUST (Tarifa de Uso da Rede Básica) charges, reducing the effective export credit to approximately 60-70% of the retail tariff rate. Systems installed before January 2023 are grandfathered under the old rules until 2045. For new systems, the practical advice is to size for high self-consumption (50-70%+ of production used directly) rather than maximizing surplus export.

Which Brazilian states have ICMS exemption for solar? ▼

Most major Brazilian states have adopted ICMS exemption for microgeneration solar under CONFAZ Agreement 16/2015 or subsequent state-level legislation. States with active exemptions include São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceará, and Goiás — covering the vast majority of Brazilian solar installations. A few states have delayed or partial implementation. Always verify with your local distributor (CEMIG, COPEL, CELPE, COELBA, ENERGISA, etc.) as rules can change. The exemption typically applies to both the electricity you generate-and-consume and reduces the ICMS on grid consumption.

How much does solar cost in Brazil in 2026? ▼

Installed residential solar in Brazil costs approximately R$5-7/Wp in 2026, meaning a 6 kWp system runs R$30,000-42,000 all-in. Prices have dropped dramatically over the past decade — Brazil now has one of the most competitive solar markets in Latin America, with the world's third-largest installed capacity. Cost includes panels (typically Tier-1 Chinese or Brazilian brands), string inverter, mounting system, wiring, permits, and utility connection. Financing through Banco do Brasil, BNDES Proef, and Caixa Econômica programs can spread cost over 48-84 months at subsidized rates for residential customers.

Is solar worth it in Brazil given rising electricity prices? ▼

Yes — Brazil's electricity tariffs have increased significantly over the past decade due to drought impacts on hydroelectric generation, transmission investments, and the "bandeira tarifária" (tariff flag) system that adds surcharges during low-reservoir periods. A solar system effectively locks in today's electricity price for 25+ years. With payback periods of 3-6 years for residential systems and 2-4 years for commercial, and Brazilian interest rates making grid electricity an increasingly expensive ongoing cost, solar is one of the best available inflation hedges for Brazilian property owners.

Can apartments install solar panels in Brazil? ▼

Yes — the Marco Legal explicitly expanded microgeneration rights to condominiums and multi-unit buildings. Options include: (1) Rooftop system shared by the building, with production credits distributed proportionally among units via net metering. (2) Remote self-generation (autoconsumo remoto): a solar farm in another location with credits applied to your apartment bill — now legal and growing in popularity. (3) Energy cooperatives. Condominium solar requires approval from the assembleia de condôminos (majority vote) and coordination with the utility for interconnection. Brazil's urban solar potential remains largely untapped — apartment cooperatives are expected to grow significantly through 2030.

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