Economic evaluation of photovoltaic microgenaration in the Southeast region of Brazil

Photovoltaic solar energy has increased its participation in the world's energy matrix over the last years and the predictions are that this trend will continue. Besides holding high solar irradiation indexes, the decreasing trend of the initial costs of PV is also evident in Brazil. The country has been experiencing high rates in energy costs, which makes the investment in photovoltaic microgeneration even more attractive. However, the number of photovoltaic panels being installed on the roofs of houses is still not significant. The present work seeks to analyze the economic viability of photovoltaic microgeneration in Brazil, with particular focus on the Southeast region. A multiple case study was proposed through cash flow and quantitative analysis with financial indicators. The results indicated that all nine analyzed cities present a viable economic scenario for the insertion of microgeneration, allowing to conclude that the Southeast region of the country has the capacity of exploration and growth of this type of source.