In the power sector, the search for innovative solutions increasingly entails evaluating complementary uses for existing infrastructure, while strictly adhering to safety, reliability, and regulatory requirements. In this context, ISA Energia Brasil—the country’s leading energy transmission company—has channeled its efforts into a solar generation project situated beneath its transmission lines. The objective is to technically assess the feasibility of utilizing safety corridors (areas reserved for infrastructure passage) for renewable energy production. The project required an investment of BRL 1.6 million (approximately USD 300,000), funded through the RD&I program regulated by the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL).
As part of ANEEL’s RD&I framework, the project involved deploying a prototype solar plant beneath a transmission line in the municipality of São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, running from May to December 2025. Throughout its execution, the initiative conducted an integrated assessment of various factors, including shading, electromagnetic field impact, asset compatibility, and overall energy yield.
The results established critical technical parameters regarding the compatibility of solar generation with transmission assets, significantly reducing the uncertainties associated with this type of application.
According to computational simulations, the pilot plant can reach an installed capacity of 1.224 MWp and an estimated annual generation of 1,746 MWh—sufficient volume to power hundreds of households, thereby proving the technical viability of the adopted solution. The system leverages high-efficiency solar panels designed to optimize solar radiation capture, including reflected ambient light (albedo), ensuring superior performance even under conditions of lower direct irradiance.
Validated across three fronts (theoretical studies, computational simulations, and field measurements), ISA Energia Brasil concluded that shading from transmission towers and cables does not significantly impact solar energy generation. Furthermore, the study noted minimal electromagnetic interference, ensuring that the safety and operation of the transmission grid remain strictly uncompromised.
By technically validating the use of safety corridors for solar generation beneath transmission lines, the initiative consolidates field learnings and establishes the prototype as a technical benchmark. This framework will guide future evaluations of complementary uses for transmission infrastructure in otherwise unproductive land areas.
“This pilot project allowed us to test, under real-world conditions, engineering solutions designed to optimize the use of safety corridors. We validated key parameters and achieved consistent results. The primary breakthrough of this initiative is the establishment of a solid technical foundation, providing data that will inform future analyses on the deployment of such solutions,” stated Nayana Guimarães, New Business Manager at ISA Energia Brasil.
Untapped Energy Production Potential within Existing Infrastructure
ISA Energia Brasil operates approximately 23,000 kilometers of transmission lines across Brazil, spanning major urban centers in 18 states. Along these structures, safety corridors represent a vast and underutilized landbank—in the city of São Paulo alone, these areas total around 16.2 million square meters.
“We are looking at the technical feasibility of complementary use for already available areas, yielding efficiency gains for existing infrastructure. Consequently, this initiative reinforces the role of transmission in the energy transition. It generates technical expertise on how to integrate renewable generation into the electrical grid, directly contributing to decarbonization,” declared Aldo Debiagi, Strategy and Innovation Manager at ISA Energia Brasil.
