Brazil’s Intelbras backs domestic battery production, off-grid solutions

At Intersolar 2025, Intelbras presented a diverse portfolio ranging from residential to large power plant applications, with new storage, inverter, and off-grid products. Intelbras Product and Business Analyst Tiago Goulart said the company is performing some production in-house and expanding its product range.

“Today, we serve everything from microinverters to inverters for large investment plants,” said Goulart. “We’ve brought you highlights from our new launches, such as our 7.5 kW hybrid inverter, designed to power community loads with battery backup; and robust 50 kW to 75 kW solutions geared toward investment plants.”

Domestic manufacture

“In the past, we worked with partner suppliers,” Goulart added. “Now we’ve developed our own line of batteries, certified by Anatel and Inmetro, with Intelbras quality. We know that the cell is the final step but we’re already structured to produce modules and BMS [battery management systems] in Brazil. Intelbras has experience with complex UPS [uninterruptible power supply] lines and we want to apply this knowhow to storage.”

That BMS experience is an advantage, Goulart said, adding, “Unlike manufacturers that came from the electrochemical industry, we already master the development of battery management boards and systems. Even for OEM [original equipment manufacturer] products, we undergo rigorous testing that goes beyond certification.”

Opportunities

Interest in battery energy storage systems (BESS) is growing among distributors, according to the executive.

“Energy distributors are increasingly looking to BESS as a solution to stabilize the grid,” said Goulart. “We want to support projects of all sizes with our application engineering team.”

In the residential market, he added, “The demand for batteries is already a reality. Intelbras always enters the market when it believes it’s ready. Our cluster is largely residential but we also see applications in condominiums and [from] real estate developers, who already offer the system in the apartment.”

Range

The products on show at Intersolar included the Rapid Shut Down, “which allows the system to be de-energized in the event of an arc flash or in emergency situations such as a fire department visit,” said Goulart. Intelbras’ Grid Zero product serves self-consumption clients who don’t want to feed energy to the grid.

Off-grid, mobility, agribusiness

Another focus of the company is off-grid solutions which integrate solar and storage in security, lighting, and telecoms applications.

“In locations with precarious infrastructure, we offer complete systems, including thermal cameras for monitoring power plants,” said Goulart. “We just don’t sell the pole; the rest is all ours!”

Integrating solar and storage into transport is another focus for Intelbras, which has supplied lithium batteries for a barge in the Pantanal.

“The client no longer wanted to rely on diesel, especially at night with the air conditioning on,” said Goulart. “The battery guarantees silence and comfort, which is exactly what tourists are looking for.”

Agribusiness opportunities include the supply of inverters for up-to-2 hp solar pumps for irrigation, water supply, and animal hydration. “The return on investment is very fast,” said Goulart. “Data shows that cattle can gain up to 5% more weight per month simply by having easier access to water. It’s literally money in the producer’s pocket.”

The range all adds up to an attempt by Intelbras to expand beyond conventional solar equipment.

“The market is still sluggish in some segments but we have many opportunities in niches that expand the energy ecosystem,” said Goulart. “Our goal is to offer complete, nationally sourced solutions, always with Intelbras quality.”

From pv magazine Brasil.