The development of the installed capacity of wind energy converters in Germany shows that a significant increase of its contribution to the energy supply is possible, depending on the measures introduced by the state. In contrast to Germany, Brazil has not been very concerned about its greenhouse gas emissions yet, as more than 90% of the electricity is generated by hydropower. However, due to the current energy crisis Brazil has to search for alternatives in order to stabilize the energy matrix and diminish the dependence on precipitation, especially as a new capacity of about 4 GW has to be installed each year. The intention of the authors is to present the German conditions that led to the current favorable situation for wind energy and to compare these to the Brazilian circumstances that exist for an extended application of this energy source. At the same time special attention is paid to the newest legal developments in Brazil. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.