Daniele Salomão*
Brazil arrives at COP 30 in a privileged position. Currently, almost 45% of the country's energy consumption comes from these renewable sources, compared to a global average of just 15%, according to data from the Energy Research Company. This difference positions us as a global benchmark, with the concrete possibility of leading a truly democratic energy transition—that is, one that is economically viable and accessible to all.
To achieve this, we need a multi-potentiality of sources and adequate coordination to incorporate these sources into our energy mix, supporting the country's socioeconomic development and decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors. Unlike simply replacing fossil fuels with renewables, it is imperative to combine different technologies and energy sources intelligently, leveraging the potential of each. This approach has a clear objective: to address the energy trilemma, which requires a balance between supply security, environmental sustainability, and affordable prices.
In this scenario, natural gas and biomethane play a fundamental role. Natural gas, abundant and already present in our infrastructure, acts as a transition fuel. It ensures system reliability during times of intermittent renewable energy and replaces more polluting sources, such as fuel oil and coal. We see this daily at the five distributors that are part of the Energisa Group portfolio in Espírito Santo, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, and Ceará. At the same time, natural gas creates the logistical and technological foundations for the arrival of low-carbon molecules.
Biomethane, in turn, embodies the concept of energy addition in an exemplary way. In 2026, we will begin producing biogas and biofertilizer from agro-industrial waste at our first plant, which will be the largest in the state of Santa Catarina. Models like the ones we are developing connect energy and the circular economy, reducing emissions, reusing resources, and promoting regional development.
Expanding this concept can reduce dependence on imports, replace a significant portion of diesel in the heavy-duty fleet, and reduce industry logistics costs, while generating revenue in the field. This solution simultaneously addresses the three dimensions of the trilemma: it is clean, competitive, and safe from a supply perspective in a country with such a strong agroindustry potential.
It's important to be clear that the ongoing electrification process is putting unprecedented pressure on energy consumption. Heat waves, the digitalization of the economy, and the growth of data centers are already factors that are exponentially increasing demand. It is in this context that energy addition proves essential. Instead of choosing one technology, Brazil needs to orchestrate its diverse range of sources, combining hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, biomethane, natural gas, and, in the future, hydrogen, in a balanced arrangement that maximizes the advantages of each.
This mix of sources could even help solve a dilemma in remote areas of the Legal Amazon, which are not connected to the National Interconnected System. The region generates 26% of the country's energy consumption, yet over a million people still lack access to clean, quality energy. In many cases, entire communities have power for only a few hours a day thanks to the use of diesel, a highly polluting fuel. This is unimaginable in 2025.
Coordinating off-grid photovoltaic systems with battery storage and natural gas-powered thermoelectric plants could be the solution to this problem in the Amazon. The model, developed by Energisa and already tested in the Vila Restauração community in Acre, offers reliable supply and reduced CO² emissions, contributing to the decarbonization of the region that will host the COP. The model can be replicated in several isolated areas in the Amazon, also producing a positive impact on energy tariffs nationwide, with a structural reduction in the costs borne by the Fuel Consumption Account. This represents democratizing access to the input.
This strategy is not only environmental, but also economic and geopolitical. By diversifying and integrating energy solutions, Brazil increases its resilience, attracts long-term investment, and positions itself as a reliable supplier of clean energy. Furthermore, it strengthens its internal competitiveness, reducing the risk of becoming a country with abundant energy but high bills due to accumulated costs and inefficiencies.
COP 30 in Belém is a historic opportunity to show the world that Brazil has more than ambition: it has the concrete conditions to lead. Leading not only through the diversity of sources, but through its ability to give substance to the concept of energy addition, integrating molecules, electrons, and bits, which will enable this entire process through innovation. But this leadership will only be possible if governments, companies, universities, and civil society act in a coordinated and
with a long-term vision.
If we can advance this agenda, we will not only be addressing the climate challenge, which is perhaps the greatest we humans have ever faced, but also designing a national development strategy based on energy security, social inclusion, and international protagonism. The world is seeking solutions, and Brazil has the resources, the experience, and, above all, the opportunity to demonstrate them.
Daniele Salomão is Vice President of People, Management, Sustainability and Communication at Grupo Energisa.*
