State of Paraiba
The Neoenergia Renewable Complex (R$3 billion) became the template for Brazil's renewable policy—combining 471 MW wind + 149 MW solar to exploit day/night complementarity in trade wind corridors.
Paraíba positioned itself at Brazil's renewable energy frontier through strategic geography—constant northeastern trade winds and high solar irradiance creating optimal conditions. The Neoenergia Renewable Complex here became the model for Brazil's R$50 billion renewable investment package: Chafariz Wind Farm (471.2 MW) and Luzia Solar Farm (149.2 MW) combined for R$3 billion investment.
The state demonstrates how natural endowments become infrastructure. A 574 MW hybrid project combines 425 MW wind and 149 MW solar within 10 kilometers—exploiting day/night and seasonal complementarity. Wind generates when sun doesn't; solar produces when wind calms. This hedging strategy reduces intermittency risk.
Brazil added 4.05 GW of new wind capacity in 2024, with Paraíba among the top states for new installations. More than 90% of Brazilian wind projects concentrate in the Northeast, where consistent trade winds provide capacity factors unmatched elsewhere in Latin America. Each R$1 invested in wind returns R$2.9 to the regional economy.
João Pessoa, the coastal capital, attracts tourism while interior regions host energy infrastructure. This spatial division creates employment corridors: construction during installation, operations and maintenance afterward. The pattern replicates across northeastern states—former agricultural peripheries becoming energy producers for Brazil's industrial core.