State of Piaui
Piauí reached 99.75% clean energy in 2025—hosting Latin America's largest wind farm (1,063 MW)—yet remains among Brazil's poorest states as energy exports replicate colonial extraction patterns.
Piauí achieved what seemed impossible: 99.75% clean energy matrix in 2025, ranking first in Brazil for renewable electricity. The state hosts Latin America's largest wind farm—Lagoa dos Ventos with 230 turbines generating 1,063 MW capacity, producing 3.3 TWh annually while avoiding 1.6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
This transformation accelerated dramatically. In December 2025, Casa dos Ventos and Vestas announced an 828 MW wind project with R$5 billion investment, projected to create 8,500 jobs. Earlier in 2024, VSZ's 300 MW wind farm received authorization, creating 3,000 construction jobs. The pipeline suggests $4 billion in planned onshore investment.
Piauí's advantage is physical: interior wind speeds exceed 12 meters per second—extraordinary conditions for large-scale projects. The state also ranks third nationally in centralized solar production. EDF Renewables plans 2,016 MW offshore wind development; Petrobras evaluates coastal installations that could contribute to 14.5 GW of offshore potential.
The paradox: Piauí ranks among Brazil's poorest states despite renewable abundance. Energy exports to industrial centers (São Paulo, Minas Gerais) replicate colonial extraction patterns—resources flow out, royalties flow back, but transformative industries don't relocate. The state captures wind but not value-added manufacturing.