On 10 March 2026, the World Bank Board approved a $450 million “Amazon Sustainable Energy and Livelihoods Project” (Amazon SEED). The project covers four states: Acre, Amazonas, Pará and Rondônia. Its objectives are: (1) to provide off grid solar and small hydro power to at least 1,200 remote communities, benefitting an estimated 350,000 people; (2) to create an “Amazon Renewable Energy Vocational Training Centre” aiming to train 25,000 solar installers, maintenance technicians and forest rangers; (3) to reform current diesel generation subsidies, reducing off grid electricity prices by at least 30%.

An innovative “service based” model is introduced: communities pay a fixed monthly fee based on consumption, while ownership of the solar equipment remains with the project operator, thereby lowering upfront barriers. The World Bank’s Brazil Country Director said: “More than 3 million people in the Amazon live beyond the grid, paying high prices for low quality diesel. This project is not only about climate change – it is about equity.” The project includes a monitoring mechanism where local indigenous organisations participate in site selection to avoid harm to sensitive ecosystems. Full deployment is expected by 2027, reducing diesel consumption by about 100 million litres per year and avoiding 250,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.