A largely renewable electricity mix
Brazil’s 2026 National Energy Balance, covering 2025, puts the renewable share of its electricity mix at 86.8%. Hydropower is a major part of that story, alongside growing wind and solar generation.
It is an arresting figure for anyone learning about the country’s infrastructure and economy.
Source: EPE — National Energy Balance 2026, electricity mix
Electricity is only part of energy
Electricity powers a socket. The wider energy system also includes fuels used for transport, industry, and other activities. EPE reports that renewables accounted for 49.5% of Brazil’s overall energy mix in 2025.
Those two percentages describe different things. Treating them as interchangeable would miss an important part of the picture.
A useful way to read the country
The distinction makes Brazil an interesting place to explore the energy transition: a highly renewable electricity system exists alongside a broader economy that still uses substantial amounts of fossil fuels.
For a newcomer, it is another reminder that Brazil’s story is full of contrasts. A number that initially looks like a simple fact can open a much richer conversation about how the country works.
Source: EPE — understanding the energy and electricity mixes