Around 1800 MWh is produced annually in the University City
600 households
could be served with this production
Blog
USP leads the way in energy transition toward a sustainable future
By expanding its solar energy capacity and entering the free energy market, the University aims to lower expenses, minimize campus emissions, and foster research in the area
Some changes at USP are visible in buildings and public spaces; others go unnoticed, like the shift in energy use. To cut costs and reduce environmental impact, the University is expanding solar generation and joining the free market, adopting more sustainable alternatives to the traditional grid.
As part of this effort, USP is making the energy transition a cornerstone of its Sustainable USP program, with two dedicated working groups focusing on the sources of electricity used across campuses.
One of these groups, Energy Generation, is coordinated by Roberto Zilles, a professor at the Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE). Their focus is on producing photovoltaic energy, which supplies electricity by directly converting solar radiation. The expert has been working on the topic for years, back in 1998, Jornal da USP had already published an article detailing the system’s operation and its pioneering implementation at USP.
“It was in that year that the first grid-connected solar photovoltaic subsystem was installed. The initiative was part of a project by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). At the time, there were many technical difficulties, as the equipment was imported and expensive. In addition, there was no standardization and no specialized workforce available.
Over the years, we have seen a drop of up to 80% in the cost of modules, which are now widely available with robust and efficient national technology. This drop in cost is essential for the energy generated by these systems to be cheaper. Today, on the University City campus, we have 13 systems forming a set that operates a total power of 1.15 MW, which serves 2% of the campus’ total consumption,” Zilles adds.
The professor recalls that: “The drastic reduction in installation costs, the maturing of regulations, and the increase in government incentives have made photovoltaics a consolidated and strategically essential alternative. The expected benefits, such as greater efficiency in decentralized generation and environmental sustainability, have materialized, driving the expansion of electricity production with photovoltaic systems in Brazil.”
In 1998, Jornal da USP reported on the University’s first steps towards using photovoltaic energy (click on the image to expand)
He gives an example of what these amounts of energy mean in more concrete terms for everyday consumers: “The systems installed in University City have a total power of 1.15 MW and produce between 1,600 and 1,800 MWh a year. Average residential consumption is 250 kWh/month, or 3 MWh/year. This way, our production could serve an average of 530 to 600 households. From a financial point of view, this amount of energy represents annual savings of around R$600,000.”
Choosing the ideal structure for installing photovoltaic panels depends on available space, cost, aesthetics, and energy efficiency.
The most common options include rooftop systems, suitable for buildings with good solar orientation; ground-mounted structures, ideal for large, easily accessible areas; carports, which combine energy generation and cover for vehicles; floating systems, designed for large bodies of water; and integrated architectural solutions such as panel façades, used in modern buildings. The decision must consider the best use of the area, return on investment, and the site’s specific characteristics. In USP’s case, most installations have been concentrated on ground-mounted plants, carports , and cover installations.
In the University City, there are already units with more than 20% of their energy coming from photovoltaic systems:
How much energy does USP produce and how much does it save?
At USP’s Capital-East Area campus, a 369 kW system mounted on a carport has almost been completed and is due to go into operation soon. Installations are also underway at the Ribeirão Preto, Pirassununga, and Piracicaba campuses, with completion expected by the beginning of the second semester.
On the São Carlos campus, the project is being managed by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the School of Engineering – São Carlos (EESC), to supply 2.1 MW, which is equivalent to 20% of the energy consumed on campus. The coordinator of the action, Elmer Pablo Tito Cari, expects the bidding to take place in the next few days. “The project was performed in several phases, starting with analyzing the campus’s energy consumption, then selecting buildings with potential for installation. This selection was based on aerial images, technical visits, and structural analysis of the selected sites. Our team then prepared a description and environmental impact report. The USP São Carlos campus comprises two areas. The first has four different consumer units, which are the connections to the electricity distribution network, and four different electricity bills. The second area comprises just one consumer unit,” he explains.
President Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior highlights the many dimensions of the initiative: “The University understands that its role in society goes far beyond 0knowledge, it is also our responsibility to ensure its transmission and broad accessibility to society and organizations. The photovoltaic solar energy projects we are developing reflect this institutional commitment to innovation, promoting quality of life and well-being, and creating solutions that contribute directly to Brazil’s social, environmental, and economic development. By investing in a cleaner and more efficient energy matrix, USP not only reinforces its mission to educate professionals and conduct cutting-edge research, but also plays an active role in shaping public policies for sustainability and the responsible use of public funds. The University’s energy transition is, therefore, a strategic and exemplary step toward a fairer, more responsible, and more sustainable future,” he states.
Administrative side
Beyond its technical demands, a project like this involves complex contracting processes that require legal oversight and close attention to detail. To make the implementation of its photovoltaic systems feasible, USP has adopted a contracting model structured in two stages: preparing the executive project and then supplying and installing the equipment. The strategy was developed by the Administration Department (DA), which proposed an integrated model combining the provision of services and supply of infrastructure in a single bidding. The model was designed to streamline processes and better align expectations with deliverables, requiring the executive project to be presented alongside the execution of the work.
Amaury José Rezende, DA general director, explains that “the great challenge was to perform an Electronic Procurement, with characteristics that, in addition to complying with the most current legislation, had an approach that allowed for the integration of the development of the executive project and the performance of the purpose contracted. This generated significant gains in terms of speed, modernization of technical solutions, and greater use of the private sector’s skills. In addition, the initiative helped mitigate contractual and financial risks by transferring part of the liability for the detailed technical design of the project to the service provider. It has also helped eliminate or significantly reduce amendments and interpretation conflicts, enhancing control and performance predictability. As a result, we have adopted this model as the standard for similar contracts, combining service provision and infrastructure supply in a single document.”
The result, he says, is a more assertive process with fewer stoppages or setbacks, as is common in public contracts: “This way of working allowed for a more efficient and coordinated performance, supported by the DA team, so that it was possible to reduce distortions between the idealized project and delivered result, guaranteeing both the efficiency of the performance and the technical quality of the venture.”
The director also emphasizes the integrated nature of the contracting processes: “In this process, the technical team prepared the basic design, which included defining the installation site, assessing the existing structure, indicating ABNT standards, and specifying materials. The team also accompanied the technical visits performed by the service companies, who were responsible for preparing the executive projects. The project covers several campuses. On campuses outside the capital, the bidding and engineering teams of the City Halls have carried out the physical implementation after the development of the artifacts and models for performing the biddings, coordinated by the DA’s Bidding team. This has strengthened the university’s ability to integrate innovative solutions for a more sustainable future,” he says.
He reinforces that the economic results and other benefits of the photovoltaic solar energy projects at USP can already be seen: “In terms of operating costs, the total power generated represents up to 35% of the units’ monthly consumption, and the average annual savings on electricity already amount to almost two million reais, contributing to the reallocation of resources to other academic and research areas.”
“In approximately four years, all the investments made by the University in the area of photovoltaic solar energy should be fully offset, reaching the so-called payback, a financial indicator that measures the time needed for an investment to pay for itself, with the payback period of the capital invested. More than a financial advantage, the environmental gains are significant: they raise awareness about the responsible use of renewable sources, contribute to reducing carbon emissions, and strengthen the institution’s energy autonomy by reducing dependence on non-renewable sources,” he acknowledges.
Scientific research
The first steps, in the 1990s, were aimed not only at testing the technical feasibility of photovoltaic systems but also at training skilled human resources and generating scientific knowledge essential for technological development, an aspect that remains to this day. In addition to energy production, these subsystems have contributed to scientific studies.
The projects work as a living laboratory in which students and researchers can develop activities related to solar energy, promoting training in environmental and energy skills. A good number of the systems were installed with funds from research projects that contributed to the development of photovoltaic solar energy applications in Brazil, and our first systems made an essential contribution to establishing regulations for photovoltaic micro- and mini-generation in the country.
One line of research focuses on the challenges related to the materials used in photovoltaic systems. Early solar panels primarily relied on monocrystalline silicon, known for its high efficiency but also for its high production costs. With technological advances, alternatives like polycrystalline silicon have emerged, cheaper and easier to manufacture, though less efficient. Today, silicon remains the dominant material in the market, offering a solid balance between cost and performance.
Nowadays, however, research has been investigating new possibilities for obtaining energy from sunlight with other materials, such as a study recently published by Jornal da USP on the use of perovskite, a mineral discovered in 1839 in Russia (read here).
At the same time, IEE has been developing a research project with the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) to develop bifacial photovoltaic modules and generators, intending to lay the foundations for consolidating the technology on the market. Another research project, the Agri-PV System, is being performed by the IEE in partnership with Total Energies, the Greenhouse Gas Research and Innovation Center (RCGI), and the School of Agriculture “Luiz de Queiroz” (Esalq). The goal is to integrate solar energy generation with food production in the same area as a strategy for sustainable land use and adaptation to climate change. The initiative seeks to promote the energy transition in Brazil by combining photovoltaic panels with agricultural crops, contributing to the sustainable and climatic intensification of rural production.
Free market
Another working group in the Sustainable USP program focuses on the so-called free energy market.
“In terms of operation, the Brazilian energy market is divided into two segments. The best-known and most traditional, used by residential consumers, is the regulated market, where customers can only purchase electricity from the local distributor, such as Enel in the case of São Paulo. In the free market, consumers have the freedom to choose their energy supplier and the sources they buy from. That means they can opt to purchase only clean energy, such as wind, solar, or hydroelectric, or even contract certified renewable sources. In the regulated market, energy comes from a mix of sources, without transparency about its origin,” explains Mara Jane Contrera Malacrida, coordinator of the working group.
She highlights the economic advantages of the system: “In addition to allowing USP to choose renewable energy sources, the University will save on electricity costs. In the regulated market, bills are based on set tariffs and subject to tariff flags, which vary according to energy availability and weather conditions. In the free market, however, these flags do not apply, and prices are negotiated between the parties. The agreed amount remains fixed for the duration of the contract, enabling consumers to better plan and predict their energy expenses. When prices are high, consumers can opt for shorter contracts, while lower prices allow for longer-term agreements,” she explains.
Currently, the migration to this system is at a very advanced stage. The first stage was the readjustment of the electrical substation installations on the Butantã campus to change the measurement from high to medium voltage, in addition to adjustments made by Enel following an agreement signed with the company in 2024. Next, the University team needed to perform a technical study of energy consumption and purchase volumes. This analysis aims to map and understand USP’s energy consumption patterns so that more effective strategies can be devised for purchasing energy competitively on the free market and boosting the use of renewable sources.
The transition to the free market could lead to annual savings of 20% to 25% on USP’s electricity expenses, totaling approximately R$8 million. With a R$4.1 million investment, the return is expected in less than a year, representing a major advance in the University’s approach to energy management.
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
Política de uso
A reprodução de matérias e fotografias é livre mediante a citação do Jornal da USP e do autor. No caso dos arquivos de áudio, deverão constar dos créditos a Rádio USP e, em sendo explicitados, os autores. Para uso de arquivos de vídeo, esses créditos deverão mencionar a TV USP e, caso estejam explicitados, os autores. Fotos devem ser creditadas como USP Imagens e o nome do fotógrafo.
A reprodução de matérias e fotografias é livre mediante a citação do Jornal da USP e do autor. No caso dos arquivos de áudio, deverão constar dos créditos a Rádio USP e, em sendo explicitados, os autores. Para uso de arquivos de vídeo, esses créditos deverão mencionar a TV USP e, caso estejam explicitados, os autores. Fotos devem ser creditadas como USP Imagens e o nome do fotógrafo.