Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry (CNI) advocates the establishment of a multi-year schedule of energy storage auctions in the country to provide predictability for investment planning and industrial development.
In a letter sent to the electric power watchdog Aneel, the organization states that energy storage, besides being important for energy security and the modernization of the power system, is directly associated with the country’s productive and technological transformation agenda.
“The expansion of this industry enables the densification of national production chains, with the use of strategic mineral resources, the strengthening of installed manufacturing capacity, and the creation of skilled jobs, contributing to increased economic complexity and to Brazil’s competitive integration into the global energy transition chains”, said the CNI.
At the same time, the development of this industry would reduce external dependence on critical technologies and strengthen the resilience of the Brazilian economy in a scenario of increasing reorganization of global value chains.
In this regard, the CNI also advocates for the structuring of policies to promote the national production chain, including instruments aimed at certification, technological innovation, and the development of local capabilities.
The entity also calls for the establishment of a framework that recognizes the role of the storage agent in the electricity sector, with a clear definition of its responsibilities and operating model, as well as an appropriate tariff structure that ensures the economic viability of storage systems and acknowledges their systemic benefits.
The Brazilian government plans to hold the country’s first battery auction later this year, but has not yet published the ordinance with the guidelines and rules for the bidding process.
The regulation for battery energy storage systems remains under discussion at Aneel after the changes introduced by Law 15.269 of November 2025, which created the figure of the storage agent as an autonomous category in the electricity sector.
According to Vitor Sarmento de Mello, partner at Rolim Goulart Cardoso Advogados, one of the main points still undefined is the possibility of stacking revenues for battery projects. The mechanism would allow the ventures to obtain revenues not only through price arbitrage, but also by providing services to the electrical system, such as operational flexibility and ancillary services.
Another central discussion involves the so-called double charging for network use. The debate revolves around charging tariffs both when charging the batteries and when injecting energy into the system. According to Mello, Aneel director Fernando Mosna has already spoken out against double charging, classifying it as a barrier to entry for projects, while other directors support a different understanding. The issue is still under review after a request for further examination in the public consultation (CP) 39 process.
The lawyer added that the use of batteries in transmission projects is already supported by current regulations, citing as an example a project by ISA Energia on the coast of São Paulo to reinforce supply and stabilize the grid during peak consumption periods.
“As for implementation in generation, the issue of paying the network usage tariff still needs to be addressed, both for the colocated storage system, which is the one installed alongside wind or photovoltaic generation projects, and for standalone [systems],” Mello told BNamericas.
(The original version of this content was written in Portuguese)
