Rio de Janeiro boosts transition to clean energy with new decrees

Governor Claudio Castro signed two new decrees aimed at encouraging clean energy generation and advancing the energy transition in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This was reported by  Toda Palavra, a partner of TV BRICS.

The decrees, developed by the State Secretariat for Energy and the Blue Economy, were signed during the closing ceremony of the Energy Summit 2025–one of the world’s leading energy sector events–held in Barra da Tijuca.

Castro emphasised the global interest in the state’s natural gas, particularly for the production of green fuels, highlighting that tax improvements and support for entrepreneurs would help guide Rio towards a more prosperous energy future.

The first decree regulates the 2024 Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Provision of Services (ICMS) incentive law, promoting the use of natural gas by thermoelectric plants. It offers fiscal benefits on the ICMS tax for gas consumed in power generation, while requiring participating companies to reinvest 2 per cent of their tax savings into energy efficiency and transition projects. 

The aim is to foster innovation and environmental responsibility, creating a sustainable cycle within the energy sector that benefits both the economy and the environment.

The second decree updates a 2012 law focused on the production and distribution of biogas. Under this regulatory framework, gas distributors in the state will now be allowed to purchase and circulate biomethane through the existing natural gas infrastructure. This move is expected to boost new businesses dedicated to producing biomethane, a renewable fuel derived from organic waste.

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