BUSINESS

Clouds Loom Over Longi’s Bet on Brazil’s Solar Market

Published: Jan. 6, 2026 6:14 p.m. GMT+8

00:00

00:00/00:00

Listen to this article 1x

A photovoltaic power station in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo: IC Photo

Longi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. is betting on Brazil’s massive solar potential, fueled by strong sunlight, high electricity prices and growing demand for distributed energy.

“Brazil is one of the largest solar markets in the world,” Jonathan Colombo, the Chinese solar giant’s Brazil market head, told Caixin, noting that the potential for investment there is enormous.

You've accessed an article available only to subscribers

Subscribe today for just $.99.

VIEW OPTIONS

Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.

Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.

Share this article

Open WeChat and scan the QR code

DIGEST HUB

Digest Hub

Back

Explore the story in 30 seconds

Brazil’s installed solar capacity rose from 7 GW in 2020 to 60-70 GW in 2025, with about 70% from distributed solar systems.
Longi targets both centralized and distributed markets; distributed solar has a 3-4 year payback and now reaches remote regions like the Amazon.
Grid bottlenecks, high interest rates (~15%), and financing challenges may cause 2026 solar additions to drop 24% versus 2024, per ABSolar.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

Longi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd.: Longi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. is a Chinese solar giant actively investing in Brazil's solar market, supplying solar modules for both large-scale farms and rooftop systems. They are a leading supplier in Brazil, contributing to both centralized and distributed solar projects, including off-grid solutions in remote regions like the Amazon rainforest.

AI generated, for reference only