The photovoltaic solar source currently has an installed capacity of 2.0 GW in Bahia, adding the large solar plants and the small and medium-sized self-generation systems on rooftops, facades and land. Since 2012, the solar sector has brought to Bahia more than R$ 9.5 billion in new investments, generated more than 60.1 thousand accumulated jobs and contributed to the collection of more than R$ 3.3 billion in taxes to the public coffers.

Only in the generation of its own solar energy on rooftops, facades and small plots of land, the state of Bahia has already surpassed the mark of 648.5 MW installed in homes, businesses, industries, rural properties and public buildings, according to mapping by ABSOLAR. As a result, this segment has already provided the state with the attraction of more than R$ 3.4 billion in investments, the generation of more than 19.4 thousand jobs and the collection of more than R$ 1.2 billion in taxes to the public coffers.

And what can we expect in the coming years from the photovoltaic sector in Bahia and all its clean, renewable, affordable and competitive "energy"?

Certainly, there is a very positive and promising scenario for solar energy in Bahia, which should experience, very soon, a true sustainable industrial revolution. The state of Bahia has one of the best solar resources in Brazil and the world. Therefore, in addition to the growing interest of the Bahian population in the use of photovoltaic technology in private and public buildings, this vast solar potential has made the region a strategic pole for attracting new investments in productive activities that require a lot of renewable and competitive electricity for their operations.

This is precisely the case of green hydrogen (H2V) production projects, which are produced through the electrolysis of water with the use of renewable sources, such as solar and wind. These innovative projects will allow a giant leap for companies that are installed in the state and those that are yet to come, attracted by the strong competitiveness of renewable energy in Bahia and eager to bring billionaire investments to the region.

Recently, at COP 27 in Egypt, one of the key issues discussed by experts in energy transition was the search for the so-called "Net Zero", emissions neutrality, which is fundamental for achieving the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Thus, the energy transition has become a goal that involves not only the establishment of increasingly ambitious national targets, but a deeper debate about the very survival of humanity as we know it.

When it comes to energy transition and greenhouse gas emissions, the seven largest emitters (China, the United States, India, the European Union, Indonesia, Russia, and Brazil) accounted for about half of global emissions in 2020.

The so-called G20 (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States) was responsible for about 75% of global emissions.

To contribute to the reduction of these emissions, good public policies are essential. It is no coincidence that at least 135 countries already have some goal for expanding renewable electricity. Brazil and, in particular, Bahia can lead this sustainable transition. For this, we will have to establish clear and robust goals, aligned with the potential of our country and the Northeast region.

There are advanced prospects for the implementation of a set of electrolyzers at the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex, the largest integrated industrial complex in the southern hemisphere, for the large-scale production of sustainable hydrogen, which can later be used in the domestic market or exported to other countries. The feasibility study estimates the production of 1 million tons of H2V per year. It is currently the largest project of the technology ever announced in the world, with the first stage of production expected to take place from 2025.

Therefore, the energy transition and the need to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions on the planet will have a very firm foundation in the development and growth of green hydrogen. In addition, other synthetic fuels manufactured from renewable sources may also contribute to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, which are more polluting and harmful to the environment and climate.

In this context, Bahia has a lot to offer Brazil and the world. With its privileged and abundant solar resource, availability of areas, strategic location and favorable logistics infrastructure, the state will be able to combine the strength of its electricity matrix with industrial and technological development to build the paths of a reindustrialization as ambitious as its dreams.