Thiago Barral

Ministry of Mines and Energy, Brazil

Secretary for Energy Transition and Planning

Since Feb 2023, Thiago Barral is Secretary for Energy Transition and Planning at the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil. He was previously President of the Energy Research Office (EPE), federal institution in charge of energy planning studies, related to the same ministry. As President of EPE for 4 years he also had a seat at the National Energy Policy Council. He worked for 15 years at EPE, where he also acted as Director for Energy Economics and Environmental Studies, Head of Department of Power Generation Projects and Energy Planning Analyst, with experience in the development of national energy scenarios, plans and policies and integrated energy planning. Since 2018, he is the focal point for Brazil’s engagement at the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation and supports collaboration with the IEA and bilateral energy cooperation programmes. Thiago Barral holds a degree in civil engineering, a master’s in water resources and environment and a post-graduate degree in public administration.

Sessions With Thiago Barral

Wednesday, 8 March

  • 03:15pm - 03:55pm (CST) / 08/mar/2023 09:15 pm - 08/mar/2023 09:55 pm

    Spotlight | Ministerial Plenary
    Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory
    The world has not faced a more daunting stress test than the energy transition to net zero while securing the energy supplies needed to sustain a global economy. Hydrocarbons pervade every aspect of life, from fuels and plastic to food and pharmaceuticals. How quickly can global demand shift? How will energy investment and supply meet these challenges? Will industrial sectors that hold critical technical knowledge and operational capacity be accepted as partners? What will be the social impacts? Energy ministers stand at the center of guiding and implementing this quest for security and transition along a path to net zero.

Thursday, 9 March

  • 07:15am - 08:20am (CST) / 09/mar/2023 01:15 pm - 09/mar/2023 02:20 pm

    Latin America Power: Going greener amid volatility
    Power & Renewables
    Renewables will continue to lead investments in Latin America’s power sector, despite the different stages of market development across the region. As wind and solar capacity additions ramp up, investments in gas-fired generation and transmission infrastructure are also expected to gain traction. These foundational changes in the region’s power mix are challenged by economic and political issues, but how can developers and investors navigate the risks and capture new business opportunities? How can they increase the resilience of business models amid growing volatility? How will the region deal with the growing needs for flexibility and stability in the power generation mix?