Energia fotovoltaica ligada à rede elétrica : atratividade para o consumidor final e possíveis impactos no sistema elétrico

This paper discusses the insertion of distributed microgeneration of electricity using solar photovoltaics. We present, briefly, the international experience implementing solar energy programs, comparing their goals with the Brazilian situation. An evaluation of the economic attractiveness of installing photovoltaic panels on homes in Brazil is developed, based on the fares of conventional electricity supplied by utilities. This analysis considers the supply of such equipment in the domestic market and the insolation rates of each region, as well as the fares for residential consumers prevailing in 2012. In some cities, the cost of photovoltaic energy would already be low enough in comparison with such fares, especially in situations with higher tax rates. Confirmed the possibility of this kind of energy become viable in the years ahead, we discuss some impacts of its insertion in the Brazilian electric system, especially the fact that this generation occurs at different times of the day-peek consumption in the electric grid. As a public policy suggestion to minimize this problem, we recommend that the user, who becomes a microgenerator and want to inject excess power on the grid, is required to migrate to the hourly fare scheme, called the White Fare in the residential consumption class. Thus, the energy injected would be remunerated at a price more in line with the cost of electricity at the moment that the solar energy is available. -- photovoltaic solar energy ; tariff policy