Solar power project in Brazil favelas hopes to shine in G20 spotlight

By Pilar Olivares and Fabio Teixeira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - For residents of Morro da Babilonia, one of Rio de Janeiro's underdeveloped 'favela' neighborhoods, geopolitics rarely enters daily conversation, but as the city readies to host leaders from the Group of 20 major economies on Monday, locals hope a project of theirs will find its place in the sun.

Within walking distance of Rio's famous Copacabana beach, Babilonia has been slowly expanding its use of solar power since 2015, with local non-profit Revolusolar installing panels to power some 50 families' homes in a community of less than 4,000.

Next year, the non-profit hopes to expand to 100 families at a cost of 1.5 million reais ($260,000).

Revolusolar has been participating in the G20 Social, a side event created by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for non-government groups to take part in the global forum. Lula is set to join the G20 Social's closing ceremony on Saturday alongside first lady Janja Lula da Silva.

"We managed to deliver one of our documents to her," said Adriano Hazad, a Babilonia local and Revolusolar employee, who took the event as a chance to discuss plans with Rio state officials.

The non-profit, that also provides solar power to eight other communities across Brazil, including an Indigenous community in the Amazon rainforest, hope the visibility will bring funding and government support for sustainable energy in favelas.

"When we are a showcase for the world, I believe it's the time to stand out and make our project grow," said Hazad.

($1 = 5.7947 reais)

(Reporting by Pilar Olivares and Fabio Teixeira)