Experts discuss how the synergy between data centers and the energy sector can transform Brazil into a global hub for technology and data sovereignty.
Brazil is facing a historic opportunity to redefine its role in the global digital economy. During the live stream “Digital infrastructure as a driver of national development.At the event "The Role of Data Centers and Energy in Brazil," organized by ABES (Brazilian Association of Software Companies), experts from the public and private sectors converged on a central point: the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation in the country depends on the capacity of the electricity sector to absorb and plan the expansion of large data centers.
The race for processing power and energy
The debate, moderated by Andriei Gutierrez, president of ABES, highlighted that the discussion about AI in 2023 has converged on a debate about infrastructure and, now, about energy. With the rise of generative AI, the demand for processing capacity has exploded. Igor Barreto, representative of the National Electric System Operator (ONS), revealed impressive numbers: of 43 recent requests for connection to the basic grid, 38 were for data centers, totaling approximately 7 GW in requests. To give an idea of the magnitude, this represents almost 95% of all the new load requested from the Ministry of Mines and Energy during that period.
The challenge of planning
Daniel Tavares, from the Energy Research Company (EPE), explained that the biggest challenge for planners is anticipation. While a data center can be built in less than two years, energy transmission projects take, on average, 5 to 7 years to complete. “Information is our main input. We need to understand how the sector behaves so as not to expand the network too much—which would increase the tariff for the consumer—nor too little, which would make the projects unfeasible,” stated Tavares.45:03].
The state of São Paulo concentrates the majority of this demand, especially along the axis between the capital, Campinas, and Sumaré, due to its pre-existing fiber optic infrastructure. However, Rio Grande do Sul is also emerging with ambitious projects that could, on their own, double the state's load.
Demystifying the sector
Carla Cassalha, director of DataSpot, brought the perspective of the private sector and demystified critical points. According to her, data centers are not the "villains" of water or energy consumption. They use closed-loop cooling systems and pay charges that often finance the modernization of local substations.
Cassalha also highlighted the importance of Digital SovereigntyCurrently, around 60% of Brazil's digital data is processed outside the country.54:41“The data originates here, the user is here, but the processing happens elsewhere. We need to have real control over the information we generate,” he argued.
The path to competitiveness
For Brazil to compete in this scenario, it is necessary to advance in public policies such as... Redata. Brazil has one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world (more than 901 Tbp renewable), which is a unique competitive advantage for attracting green investments. The challenge now is to synchronize the "energy timeline" with the "technology timeline" so that the transmission system is not a bottleneck, but rather the path to national development.
Watch the full live stream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EW4Vp8gVqT0
