Researchers at the Pontificate Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul have developed a technique – which until now Brazil had to import – for transforming solar energy into electricity. Two hundred photovoltaic panels and 12,000 solar cells have already been produced in a pilot experiment with sights on industrial-scale manufacturing at the university itself, with an investment of 3.2 million dollars from private and public entities.

Engineer Izete Zanesco, research coordinator, told Tierramérica that the advantage of the domestically produced panels is that they can easily be used in isolated communities that are not connected to the energy matrix.

“The can be installed on building facades and rooftops, creating isolated and distributive systems of energy production,” she said.