How energy choice is driving sustainability, governance, and competitiveness across Brazilian companies
Energy is no longer just a cost — it has become a strategic decision
For many years, electricity was treated inside companies as a purely operational item: an unavoidable cost with little room for decision-making.
But that reality has changed.
The growth of Brazil’s Free Energy Market is reshaping how businesses plan their operations, investments, and, increasingly, their sustainability and ESG strategies.
Today, energy is no longer just an expense. It has become a central element in building more efficient, responsible companies aligned with the demands of the modern market.
The expansion of the Free Market confirms an irreversible trend
The numbers make it clear: migration to the free contracting environment is already a consolidated reality across Brazil’s main economic sectors.
According to recent data from Abraceel, the Free Energy Market already represents:
| Sector | Share of electricity consumption in the Free Market |
| Industry | 95% of national consumption |
| Commerce | 47% of national consumption |
In addition, Brazil ended 2025 with nearly 83,000 consumer units in the free market, with annual growth above 35%.
This movement is not only economic — it is structural, and it signals a definitive shift in how companies relate to energy.
Why has the Free Energy Market become an ESG driver?
ESG is no longer an aspirational concept. It has become a concrete decision-making criterion for investors, clients, and global supply chains.
And the Free Energy Market fits directly into this agenda because it enables something essential:
choice, traceability, and active management of energy consumption.
Below, it becomes clear how this transformation connects to the three ESG pillars.
E — Environmental: renewable energy as a strategic decision
In the Free Market, companies can contract electricity from incentivized and renewable sources, such as:
- Wind
- Solar
- Biomass
- Small Hydropower Plants (SHPs)
This allows businesses to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and strengthen environmental targets with greater consistency.
Direct environmental benefits include:
- Lower emissions associated with energy consumption
- Support for the national energy transition
- Access to clean energy reporting and certification possibilities
- Alignment with global climate commitments
Clean energy stops being a message — and becomes a contractual decision.
S — Social: sustainability is also competitiveness and impact
The social component of ESG may seem less tangible, but it is equally relevant.
When a company reduces structural energy costs and gains predictability, it creates room to:
- Invest more in people and expansion
- Sustain operations in more competitive regions
- Generate jobs and local development
- Strengthen reputation among consumers and communities
Organizations that demonstrate energy responsibility also gain an advantage in markets that value transparency and positive impact.
G — Governance: energy management is risk management
Governance, at its core, is the ability to make structured and transparent decisions.
And energy has become one of the most important corporate risk topics today, due to factors such as:
- price volatility
- regulatory changes
- pressure for ESG targets
- growing compliance and traceability demands
In the Free Market, companies take an active role:
- defining contracting strategies
- planning energy budgets
- structuring internal policies
- building governance over consumption and efficiency
In other words: energy stops being passive and becomes a strategic asset.
The Free Market as a corporate positioning tool
Companies that migrate to the Free Energy Market are not simply saving money.
They are signaling to the market that they have:
- long-term vision
- strategic maturity
- real environmental commitment
- governance over costs and risks
The Free Market has become a bridge between financial efficiency and corporate responsibility.
Trends for 2026: ESG and energy move forward together
The energy sector enters 2026 with clear trends:
- acceleration of the energy transition
- digitalization and smarter consumption management
- expansion of the Free Market to new business profiles
- rising ESG requirements in contracts and global supply chains
Companies that anticipate these changes now will build a competitive advantage for the years ahead.
Energy is one of the most strategic decisions in modern ESG
The Free Energy Market is no longer just an alternative contracting model.
It has become one of the main instruments for companies that want to:
- reduce environmental impact
- strengthen reputation
- improve governance
- compete with efficiency and responsibility
In today’s corporate world, sustainability is not just a topic.
It is a strategy.
And energy sits at the center of it.
If your company wants to move forward in this agenda with clarity and confidence, Deal Comercializadora is ready to support your journey in the Free Energy Market — combining contracting intelligence, long-term vision, and a commitment to results.
📩 contato@dealcomercializadora.com.br
🌐 www.dealcomercializadora.com.br
