Minas Gerais initiatives promote energy efficiency and solar power

In Minas Gerais, Brazil, students from public and private schools can participate in the 2026 National Energy Efficiency Olympiad (ONEE). The free competition, which accepts registrations until September 15, aims to teach students about safe and efficient electricity use, sustainability, and conscious consumption. Eligible participants include students in the 8th and 9th grades of elementary school and the 1st and 2nd years of high school. Top performers from each state may win a notebook and an all-expenses-paid trip to Brasília to attend the National Olympic Week.

Meanwhile, in Belo Horizonte, a new municipal law (Law 12.103/2026) has been enacted to allow municipal schools to produce their own electricity through solar photovoltaic systems. The implementation will be gradual, depending on technical feasibility, available resources, and the physical condition of the buildings. Priority may be given to schools in areas of high social and economic vulnerability or those with high electricity consumption. The law also allows the city to seek partnerships with private companies, NGOs, and federal or state funding to support the expansion of renewable energy in the school network.