27 Brazil renewables influencers to follow in 2023

Latin America generates most of its electricity from hydropower, gas, and oil. But countries in the region are increasingly diversifying into wind and solar generation to help meet their climate change goals, led by Brazil. The region also has a role to play in supplying the critical minerals the world needs to produce clean energy technologies, such as solar panels and batteries.

Professionals in the renewable energy industry are spearheading the development of solar power, playing a key role in contributing to the clean energy transition.

Renewable energy influencers in Brazil

Here’s our list of 27 influencers in the Brazil renewables market. This is not intended as a ranking but aims to highlight industry experts who are taking the lead in helping companies and governments implement some of the biggest projects and initiatives in the region.

Dr. Rodrigo Sauaia – Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ABSOLAR – 19,900 followers

As well as being co-founder of the Associação Brasileira de Energia Solar Fotovoltaica (ABSOLAR), Brazil’s national solar industry association, Sauaia is also co-founder of the Global Solar Council (GSC), which aims to unify and represent the solar power sector internationally. Sauaia works with high-level decision-makers, governments, financial institutions, companies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to promote solar power.

Bárbara Rubim – CEO of Bright Strategies – 11,100 followers

Rubim is an ABSOLAR board member and an independent consultant who focuses on helping companies, governments, and investors deal with regulatory issues and structure business models for distributed renewable generation.

Frederico Saliba – Vice President (VP) Energy and Renewables at Raizen – 10,000 followers

As General Manager and President at Shell Energy Retail, Saliba was involved with the creation and management of the oil and gas company’s renewable portfolios in North America and Brazil. Now as VP at Raizen, Saliba works to provide one-stop integrated renewable energy solutions.

Rodolfo Pinto – Director Presidente at Elastri Engenharia/Araxá – 4,600 followers

Pinto has 15 years of experience as an infrastructure and energy executive and founded Araxá Solar in 2012, specializing in solar generation. In 2016, Pinto founded distributed generation specialist Brasil Solar, which was acquired by French utility Engie in 2018.

David Rodriguez Megias – Director at SER Sistemas Energia Renovável – 2,120 followers

Rodriguez Megias develops energy projects in Brazil through SER Sistemas de Energias Renováveis, specializing in project management and change management. SER is one of the pioneers and founders of ABSOLAR and has become one of the main partners in developing large photovoltaic projects.

Liciany Ribeiro – CEO at Ribeiro Solar – 8,500 followers

An entrepreneur in the solar sector, Liciany Ribeiro founded Ribeiro Solar in 2015 and specializes in solar energy, sustainable architecture, wind power, electric vehicles, home automation, Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0.

Ricardo Barros – Vice President of Centralized Generation at Lightsource BP – 3,600 followers

A former ABSOLAR board member, Barros has a background mainly in independent power production in Brazil and France, and is a sustainable development enthusiast, particularly for its positive social impact.

Francine Martins Pisni – Regulatory Affairs Manager at AES Brasil – 2,700 followers

Prior to becoming regulatory affairs manager at AES Brasil, one of the country’s largest power generators, Martins Pisni was on the Technical Board of the Brazilian Wind Energy Association ABEEólica. In academia, she teaches subjects focused on renewable energy and generation regulation.

Gustavo Vajda – Director and Head of Business Development Brazil at Canadian Solar – 3,700 followers

At Canadian Solar, Vajda is responsible for the development of large photovoltaic projects with a focus on commercial, origination, technical preparation, regulations, financing and logistics. He has expertise in business development, mergers and acquisitions, project management, sales, and maintenance.

Marcio Takata – Director – Greener Tecnologias Sustentáveis – 16,400 followers

A board member at ABSOLAR, Takata supports the development and acquisition of large-scale solar projects in Brazil, helping entrepreneurs and investors to set sustainable renewable energy strategies.

Priscila Lino – Director of Regulatory Affairs at Auren Energia – 800 followers

Lino has moved into regulatory affairs in recent years, at Brookfield Energia Renovável and Elera Renováveis before Auren, having been an energy consulting and analytics specialist at Brazil-based PSR.

Christianne Polazzi – Senior Project Leader at Auren Energia – 2,700 followers

Polazzi has over 20 years of experience in development, implementation, and management for capital projects, including work as a renewable energy project manager at the mining firm Vale.

Camila Ramos – Founder and Managing Director of Clean Energy Latin America (CELA) – 7,400 followers

Ramos is a renewable energy expert with 16 years of experience in Latin America in the solar PV, wind, and bioenergy sectors. Her areas of expertise include renewable energy strategy, policy, mergers and acquisitions, and climate finance mechanisms.

Dr. Gustavo Malagoli Buiatti – Director of technology and business development – (re)energisa -7,500 followers

Malagoli Buiatti is the founder of ALSOL Energias Renováveis, which recently became part of the (re)energisa company of Grupo Energisa, where he serves as director of technology and business development. He has been granted several patents in the field of grid-connected PV applications and was technically responsible for the design of the first distributed PV system connected to the grid.

Marcos Ferreira Meireles – CEO Rio Energy – 11,100

In 2010, Ferreira Meireles launched his own consulting firm, MDT Energia, providing advisory services for the development and construction of renewable and conventional power projects in Brazil. He is now CEO of renewable developer Rio Energy, with more than 2GW of wind and solar projects under development, a total investment of around $1 billion.

Márcio Trannin – Managing Director South America at Sunco Capital – 4,400 followers

Trannin has 18 years of experience in development, regulation and trading at energy firms like Enel Green Power Brazil and Endesa. Spanish investment firm Sunco Capital invests in, develops, and operates renewable assets in Latin America and Europe.

Luis Pita – General Manager Brazil at Atlas Renewable Energy – 2,700 followers

Pita specializes in crisis management, the creation of new markets, and negotiations with suppliers. Prior to Atlas, he was a general manager at SunEdison, contributing to the development of solar energy in the Brazilian market, focusing on turnkey PV plants and customized solutions for small businesses and homes.

Nicola Cotugno – Country Manager at Enel Brasil – 8,700 followers

Cotugno had worked in energy generation and distribution for more than 30 years in Italy, Spain, Slovakia, and Chile before moving to Enel Brasil in 2018. There, he has led what has become the largest energy company in the country.

João Marques da Cruz - CEO at EDP Brasil – 4,700 followers

Having joined the EDP group in 2007, Marques da Cruz’s mandate as CEO is focused on investments related to the energy transition. The company is also prioritizing investments in distribution, transmission, and energy solutions — especially solar energy.

Gustavo Estrella - CEO at CPFL Energia - 13,800 followers

Estrella has been with CPFL since 2001, holding positions in economic and financial planning and investor relations. He is also a member of the board of the Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries (ABDIB).

Rodolfo Molinari Filho – Chief Business Officer at Origo Energia – 4,600 followers

Over the past decade, Molinari Filho has held business development positions at CPFL Renováveis, Renova Energia and SmartSolar. He has been an ABSOLAR board member since 2016.

Guilherme Lucena Chrispim – Executive President at Brazilian Association of Distributed Generation (ABGD) – 5,500 followers

A specialist in renewable energy and energy efficiency, Lucena Chrispim is committed to developing new alternatives for the energy sector.

Vitor Hugo Lazzareschi – Commercial Director at CTG Brasil – 4,079 followers

Lazzareschi has been a commercial director focused on the free and regulated Brazilian electricity markets since 2018 and was previously a regulatory affairs manager at CTG and Duke Energy.

Eduardo Capelastegui – CEO da Neoenergia – 5,671 followers

Capelastegui has more than 20 years of experience in positions in the Neoenergia linked to Latin America and Brazil as a senior management consultant and control director.

Ana María Serna – Managing Director at Barlovento Brasil Energias Renovaveis – 1,454 followers

Serna has more than two decades of experience in the renewable industry, working in business development at Acciona on wind, concentrated solar power, and biomass for over nine years before moving to Barlovento in 2011.

André Salgado – CEO Brazil and VP LatAm at EDF Renewables – 3,410 followers

Salgado had over 30 years of experience in power generation at Koblitz, Areva Renewables Brasil and Framatome before moving to EDF Renewables Brazil in January 2022.

Marcelo Varlese – Commercial Director at GreenYellow do Brasil – 5,227 followers

Varlese has been working in the energy sector for over 20 years in renewable power generation, transmission, distribution, energy efficiency, and energy management.

These industry professionals and influencers have the expertise to drive forward the energy transition in Latin America and lead the rapid renewable growth the region will need to meet its climate goals.

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