Time to Return to C&I? The Potential of Energy Storage for Commercial and Industrial Users

Thais Teixeira works as a Technical Consultant at EPE (Energy Research Office), where she coordinates regional interconnection planning studies, in the Transmission Department. Her fields of research and work include HVDC transmission systems, renewable energy integration and energy storage. Teixeira holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in electrical engineering, both from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and a postgraduate degree in project management from the Pontificial Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC-MG). Her most recent professional experience was coordinating the planning study that recommended a new HVDC system for the Brazilian electricity grid, which was published in 2023 by EPE. Her main previous research was related to energy storage, during her masters, which resulted in the publication of a scientific paper in na international journal. Her previous work experience includes the ONS (National System Operator) and a Project Consulting Company, where she worked with computational modeling for dynamic security assesment of power systems.

Electrical engineer, specialist in expansion planning and regulation of the electricity sector, executive MBA in electricity sector business from FGV, currently studying for a master's degree in energy planning at Coppe/UFRJ. Regulatory coordinator at Quantum Participações, the holding company responsible for the Brookfield group's energy transmission concessions. Manager of the technical-economic analysis project for the insertion of battery storage systems into the basic grid.

A researcher at the SENAI Institute for Innovation in Electrochemistry, he is leading initiatives in lithium-ion batteries, sodium ions and supercapacitors, conducting RD&I projects aimed at producing high-performance national materials for these technologies. With a degree in Chemistry and a Master's in Materials Science from Aix-Marseille Université in France, as well as an MBA in Project Management from UNISENAI-PR, he has a decade of experience in industrial innovation. His current goal is to foster a Brazilian innovation ecosystem around lithium-ion batteries. Since 2018, he has played a key role in planning and implementing pilot lines for the production of battery cells, consolidating his expertise in the various battery chemistries on the market and their manufacturing processes.

With 29 years of experience in the electricity sector, she joined the National Electricity System Operator when it was founded, where she built a solid career in technical and management positions. At the end of 2017, she took over the Executive Management of Electricity Planning at the ONS, where she is responsible for the entire planning chain for the operation of the National Interconnected System (SIN). In 2024, she took over as Executive Advisor to the ONS Planning Board, supporting the Director in the management of the country's Engineering, Electrical and Energy Planning areas. Born in Rio de Janeiro, she graduated in Electrical Engineering from the State University of Rio de Janeiro. She has specialization and post-graduate degrees in Power Systems from the Federal University of Itajubá, in Economic Engineering and Industrial Administration from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a MBA in Management Development from IAG Executive Education at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.