He holds a degree in Physics from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (1985), a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (1988), a doctorate in Telecommunications Engineering in the specialty of Photovoltaic Systems - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (1993) and a Livre Docência in the specialty of Renewable Energies - University of São Paulo (2006). He is currently a full professor at the Energy and Environment Institute of the University of São Paulo, and a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications. He works in the field of electrical engineering, with an emphasis on photovoltaic systems, mainly on the following subjects: photovoltaic systems, rural electrification, home photovoltaic systems, photovoltaic pumping systems, distributed generation and grid-connected photovoltaic systems.