A Guide to Smarter, Cheaper, More Modern Energy Use

Electricity consumers increasingly feel the weight of high energy bills on their budgets. Year after year, tariff rises and tariff flags (Brazil’s tariff surcharge system) make electricity more expensive, while blackouts, billing errors and poor utility service leave many consumers at the mercy of an unstable system.

The good news is that there are affordable, innovative solutions to cut your spending and make your energy use more efficient — and you can adopt some of them right now!

Driven by trends in the energy transition, a range of energy solutions — such as shared generation, battery energy storage systems, solar generation in residential buildings and smart meters — are already available and increasingly affordable in both technology and cost. Let’s look at these solutions and show you how to cut costs and take more control of your energy.

Energy That Keeps Getting Pricier and Less Reliable

  • Rising energy tariffs: in recent years, electricity bills have climbed well above inflation, hitting consumers’ pockets.

  • Unpredictable tariff flags: droughts and low hydro generation trigger the red and yellow tariff flags, pushing the bill up even further.

  • Supply failures and blackouts: with extreme weather events ever more frequent and network maintenance falling short, more and more consumers will suffer power cuts and poor utility service.

But while conventional electricity is becoming ever more expensive and unreliable, new technologies are making consumption smarter and more economical — even for those living in high-rise buildings.

Shared Solar Power: The Power of the Energy Subscription

If living in a flat had ruled out solar power or another renewable source as a way to cut your energy costs, there is an affordable solution that requires no equipment to be installed.

How does it work?

3D Watt connects consumers to renewable generation plants — solar in particular — so you can benefit from clean, renewable energy credits used to offset your consumption, without installing anything in your flat.

Benefits of the energy subscription:

  • Immediate savings: up to 15% off your electricity bill with no upfront investment.

  • No building work or red tape: you carry on receiving your energy and your bill from the utility as normal, but with the benefit of energy credits.

  • An escape from the tariff flags: even when the red flag is in force, your bill is cheaper.

  • Sustainability: you do your part for a cleaner future by consuming renewable energy.

Find out more with 3D Watt!

Residential Batteries: Greater Autonomy and Security

Another innovative solution for those seeking greater energy independence is the residential battery.

How do they help?

Batteries store energy to be used when needed, helping to cut costs and protecting against blackouts.

Key benefits:

  • Prevents voltage fluctuations and power cuts.

  • Reduces reliance on the utility.

  • If you have opted for the “White Tariff” (Tarifa Branca — Brazil’s optional time-of-use tariff for low-voltage consumers), then, depending on your distribution utility’s rates, you can already lower your bill by charging the battery during cheaper off-peak hours and using it during peak hours.

  • Reduces reliance on the utility.

Solar Power in Residential Buildings: Savings for Everyone

Benefits of building-wide solar power:

  • Lower service charges (reduced costs for lighting, lifts and water pumps).

  • Higher property values.

  • Greater predictability of energy costs.

IoT Smart Meters: Full Control of Your Consumption

Want more control over your electricity bill? The market already offers a range of smart meters using IoT (Internet of Things) technology that are installed without interfering with the distribution utility’s meters and let you monitor your consumption in real time, helping you spot waste and optimise your use of electricity.

Key benefits:

  • Remote consumption monitoring via an app.

  • Identifying the appliances that use the most energy.

  • Identifying technical problems and any billing errors by the distribution utility.

Which Solution Is Best for You?

Each solution has its advantages, but if your goal is to start saving on your electricity bill straight away, the energy subscription is the most affordable, simplest and most hassle-free option. With 3D Watt, you reduce the share of your budget taken up by the electricity bill without having to invest in equipment.

Find out more with 3D Watt and start saving!

The Energy Transition Brings a New Consumer Profile

Brazil faces ever greater energy challenges, but a range of solutions to lower the electricity bill and take more control of consumption are already available and affordable for the ordinary low-voltage consumer — including those living in flats. Now it’s simply a matter of seeking out the options that make your energy cheaper, more reliable and more sustainable.