Brazil is experiencing a unique moment in the electricity market. From the beginning of 2024, all high and medium voltage companies participating in Group A will be able to choose their own energy suppliers. It’s a big change for companies that are used to seeing energy as a cost that must be paid to the local distributor. Therefore, the process must be simple and transparent.
Much of this simplification must come from market regulation. Obstacles such as adequacy of metering, disparities in the treatment of consumers by distributors, and differences in the migration process create uncertainty for companies that want to have freedom when purchasing energy. Fortunately, Aneel and CCEE are aware of these problems and are focused on solving them. We are confident that the market will evolve to meet these needs.
At ENGIE, a company with over 25 years of experience in Brazil and a leader in renewable energy in the country, we are working to simplify this special moment for our future free customers. We study the market, prepare ourselves, manufacture innovative products and are ready to continuously develop in serving these future consumers, which will be the basis for greater market opening in the future.
We do this by putting the consumer at the center of our business. We seek to understand the needs of our potential customers, develop product portfolios, simplify them and bring transparency so they feel safe making the transition. In addition, we have created a network of business partners to directly interact with these customers and facilitate their migration journey.
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In addition, we are seeking insights from other, more consolidated retail markets to bring information to Brazil. Recently, a multidisciplinary group of our staff visited ENGIE North America, headquartered in Texas, to learn from this already mature market in terms of openness, freedom of choice and greater competition. Thanks to the advantage of being a group with an international presence, we can anticipate movements and optimize the Brazilian consumer’s migration journey to the free market.
Security is a crucial factor for anyone thinking about the free market. In this, ENGIE stands out. The consumer, upon migration, will be sure to become a client of a financially strong company, with a diverse portfolio of assets, products and solutions, whose primary focus is the production and marketing of renewable energy.
It is in this context that we enter this special moment in the market, where we put the consumer at the center, and offer our customers simplicity, security and transparency. We always follow the development of the market, which, although not entirely digitally born, is certainly moving in this direction. Moreover, we always work with the relevant authorities to ensure freedom of choice for the consumer. Happy new market in 2024!
* Gabriel Mann is Energy Trading Director at ENGIE