Axial bets on recovery of Brazil's solar mar...
Brazil’s solar energy market is experiencing a slowdown but the scenario is temporary, according to Ronald Carias Esteban, CEO of tracker manufacturer Axial.
“Without a doubt, this year the solar market has been complicated. It’s not been at its best,” Esteban told BNamericas.
Although he acknowledges that electoral uncertainty, fiscal challenges and grid infrastructure availability affect the sector, Esteban remains optimistic about a market rebound.
“It’s only a matter of time before the solar market climbs back to the volumes we saw last year,” he said.
The Spanish company, present in Brazil for the past three years, has focused its strategy on distributed generation. Now, it is preparing to take the next step: entering the centralized generation segment.
“This is actually the right time for us to start moving into CG. We have several offers on the table, and I hope this year becomes the first in which we participate in a project of this kind,” said Esteban.
He stressed that the move follows a natural path of evolution, similar to what the company experienced in Europe. According to Esteban, Axial benefits from strong technical and logistical support from its headquarters in Spain, in addition to a consolidated network of suppliers in Asia.
“We have the tools, the product, the team and the organization. It’s just a matter of closing on a CG,” he said.
Innovation
In an increasingly competitive market, Axial is betting on technological differentiation. The company has developed solutions such as SmartAx, its proprietary logic and control system, and the new SlopeSync, which will be unveiled at the Intersolar Brazil trade fair on August 26-28 in São Paulo. This device reduces the need for earthworks in tracker installation, cutting both costs and environmental impact.
Esteban also highlighted advances in energy storage as a key trend for the future.
“The solar industry depends heavily on battery technology to supply energy during low-radiation hours. The falling cost of these products makes the sector increasingly accessible and attractive,” he said.
Growth
In its three years of operations in Brazil, Axial has expanded from six employees to 40. Between 2021 and 2024, the company reported annual growth of up to 100% in installed megawatt volumes. Despite the 2025 slowdown, the expectation is to match last year’s results, with around 230-240MW of trackers sold.
The company is also looking to strengthen its role in other Latin American markets. Projects in Chile, Mexico and Colombia could have equipment manufactured in Brazil.
“We want to serve these countries from here, taking advantage of Mercosur’s benefits and maintaining a strong volume of local operations,” Esteban said.