Page 23 - U4SSC Compendium of practices on innovative financing for smart sustainable cities projects

3 Energy - The first solar energy cooperative in the Rio Favela informal
settlements (Brazil)

Size of investment: USD 0.18 million

Start date: 2020

End date: 2021

Project stage: maintenance

Project partners

• Public partner: City Hall of Rio de Janeiro (technical cooperation to create studies and policies
for replicating the model; no financial investment)
• Private partners:

o LONGI Solar (25 per cent investment – solar modules donation)

o Local Power (15 per cent investment – solar installation donation)
o Goodwe (8 per cent investment – solar inverter donation)

o Solarize & Canal Solar (4 per cent investment – professional training services donation)

• Other partners:

o International Cooperatives Alliance (22 per cent investment – grants)

o Open Society Foundations (26 per cent investment – grants)

Project description

Revolusolar is a community-shared solar energy cooperative. As a social organization, it promotes
the sustainable development of low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro through distributed
solar energy. Solar power can provide a renewable, decentralized source of energy to low-income
communities with expensive and low-quality energy service. But to access solar energy in Brazil,
initial capital or access to credit is required, leaving only the wealthiest to benefit. The role of
Revolusolar is coordination, fundraising and contracting of the necessary services, followed by
rental and maintenance of the photovoltaic generator, and administrative support during the
cooperative’s operation.

Revolusolar partners with two favelas (informal settlements) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to co-
create a new, affordable, community-based and sustainable energy model, aligned with the
traditions of collective action and self-management of these favelas. The project includes solar

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