Brazil Issues Preliminary License for 100 MW Floating Solar Complex on Anta Hydropower Reservoir

Brazil’s environmental agency Ibama has granted a preliminary license for the development of a 100 MW floating photovoltaic complex at the Anta Hydroelectric Power Plant, located between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.

The project will feature 20 floating solar units, each with a capacity of 5 MWac, installed across 110 hectares of the reservoir surface. The Anta hydropower plant, operated by Furnas, currently has a generation capacity of 28 MW and works in conjunction with the Simplício plant, which provides an additional 305.7 MW to the regional grid.

Floating solar installations have been gaining attention in Brazil as a strategic complement to the country’s hydropower resources. According to estimates from consultancy PSR, covering just 1% of Brazil’s hydroelectric reservoir area with floating solar panels could generate up to 38 GW of additional capacity.

Industry analysts also cite operational benefits, including the potential to reduce reservoir water evaporation by 30% to 50%, helping preserve water needed for hydropower generation.

The project aligns with growing national interest in hybrid hydro-solar infrastructure. In September, Itaipu began installing a 1 MW floating solar pilot, and studies suggest the megaproject could nearly double its output if floating panels were deployed on 10% of its reservoir surface.

The Anta Floating Photovoltaic Complex marks one of Brazil’s largest steps toward integrating distributed floating solar with existing hydropower assets, signaling accelerating momentum in hybrid renewable development across the country.