Recent updates on SDG 9 in Brazil show how renewable energy projects are improving infrastructure and economic opportunities in underserved communities. Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation. In Brazil, renewable energy initiatives have expanded access to electricity while supporting regional development, job creation and poverty reduction in underserved communities.

Solar Energy in Rural Communities

In remote parts of the Brazilian Amazon, many communities still rely on expensive diesel generators and unreliable electricity systems. According to the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, nearly 1 million Brazilians live without electricity, with more than 95% located in the Amazon. An additional 2 million people rely on polluting and unreliable diesel fuel for energy access. Limited electricity access may also restrict economic opportunities, food preservation and access to education, contributing to long-term poverty in isolated communities. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the highest proportions of people living below the poverty line in 2023 were concentrated in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, where access to infrastructure and public services is often more limited.

Recent updates on SDG 9 in Brazil include renewable energy initiatives aimed at expanding electricity access in underserved regions. In 2026, the Global Energy Alliance reported that students in Nossa Senhora do Livramento, also known as Uixi, received solar panels that replaced unstable diesel-generated electricity. The project improved electricity access for the local school while reducing dependence on diesel fuel.

Renewable energy infrastructure can also support poverty reduction by strengthening local economic activity. Families in Uixi rely on fishing, açaí harvesting and Brazil nut production for income. The Global Energy Alliance is working with Brazil’s government in a five-year partnership to bring renewable energy, green jobs and economic opportunity to remote Amazon communities.

Wind Energy and Economic Development

Wind energy projects have also supported development in northeastern Brazil. The region concentrates almost 90% of the country’s wind capacity, according to Brazil’s Energy Research Office. Renewable energy expansion has made northeastern Brazil an important area for infrastructure investment and economic development.

In 2023, Brazil’s minister of mines and energy said transmission investments could unlock between R$180 billion and R$200 billion in wind and solar energy projects in northeastern Brazil. The transmission auction aimed to expand infrastructure needed to move renewable electricity from the Northeast to other parts of the country. Northeastern Brazil has historically faced higher poverty rates than other regions of the country, making renewable energy investment particularly significant for local economic development.

Recent updates on SDG 9 in Brazil also include the expansion of large wind energy projects across northeastern states. In Bahia, the Serra do Assuruá wind complex reached full commercial operation in 2025. The project includes 24 wind farms, 188 turbines and 846 MW of installed capacity, according to ENGIE Brasil. During construction, the project generated approximately 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Renewable Infrastructure and Future Progress

Despite recent progress, many rural communities in Brazil still face limited access to reliable electricity and infrastructure. Expanding renewable energy systems in isolated regions remains challenging due to geographic barriers and limited transmission networks. However, recent investments in solar and wind energy have already improved electricity access in underserved communities.

Recent updates on SDG 9 in Brazil demonstrate how renewable energy projects can support infrastructure development and poverty reduction. Improved electricity access can strengthen schools, health services and local businesses while creating new economic opportunities in vulnerable regions. Continued investment in renewable infrastructure can help Brazil expand sustainable development while improving living conditions for rural communities.

– Natalia Fleith Gelasko

Natalia is based in Berlin, Germany and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

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