Felipe Carvalho

Brazilian engineer and founder of Soluz, a solar energy startup that has installed over 500 microgrids in Amazon communities previously without electricity.

Felipe Carvalho (b. 1990) is revolutionizing energy access in the Amazon rainforest through his company Soluz. Growing up in Manaus, he witnessed how 12 million Amazon residents lacked reliable electricity. His 2021 innovation - the Amazon Solar Kit - combines solar panels with AI-powered energy storage systems that work in extreme humidity. By 2024, Soluz has electrified 345 villages using a pay-as-you-go model that requires no upfront investment.

Carvalho's TEDx talk explains how his team uses drones to map installation sites, reducing deployment time by 70%. The microgrids support not just lighting but also cold storage for vaccines and farm produce. A 2023 UN report highlighted that Soluz communities saw healthcare access improve by 40% and income levels rise 25% through extended business hours.

His partnership with Greenpeace links energy access to conservation - each solar installation comes with reforestation commitments. Carvalho's memoir Lighting the Rainforest (2023) details his journey from engineering student to social entrepreneur. Named one of Time's 100 Next Innovators, his vision now aims to connect the entire Amazon basin by 2030 through interconnected solar networks.