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The increasing global waste generated by industrial activities poses significant environmental challenges. Eco-waste management emerges as an economically viable solution for converting, valorizing, and repurposing these byproducts, aligning with circular economy principles, and aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Construction, known for its unsustainability due to high energy consumption, non-renewable resource utilization, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from cement production, has led to the exploration of alternative materials. Magnesium oxide (MgO)-based cement, an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), has gained attention, leveraging Brazil's prominence as a major magnesite producer. This study explores the valorization of waste from kraft pulp mills of the paper industry, specifically lime sludge (LS) and lime slaker grits (grits), to produce magnesium oxysulfate (MOS)-based fiber cement boards. The effect of accelerated carbonation on cementitious composites produced with formulations containing grits and LS was investigated. Replacing 25% of the limestone with grits showed no noticeable differences in the properties of the boards, and MOR values close to 11.17 MPa were obtained. However, the physical-mechanical performance showed a decrease with the use of LS and higher concentrations of grits, associated with Na 2 SO 4.XH 2 O formation in the system and ITZ structure formed around the aggregated particle, respectively. Carbonation in a saturated atmosphere led to the carbonation of the 5–1–7 phase, which was related to the decrease in mechanical strength of the boards after the curing process. The thermal decomposition of the Hydrated Magnesium Carbonates (HMCs) formed during accelerated carbonation corroborated with the changes in the physical properties of the composites, demonstrating that the carbonation products are formed within the voids and pores of the material and contribute to the reduction in water absorption of the boards. • Global waste requires innovative environmental solutions for sustainability. • Investigation on eco-waste management aligns with circular economy principles, reducing environmental impact. • Article focuses on MgO-based cements as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement, highlighting global magnesite production. • Research emphasizes valorization by utilizing waste from kraft pulp mills (such as LS and grits) for MOS-based fiber cement production. • Exploration of accelerated carbonation impact on cementitious composites with LS and grits unveils shifts in physical-mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explored the effect of renewable energy, financial development, and technological innovation on the ecological footprint in Brazil using a yearly dataset stretching between 1990 and 2018. The research leverage dynamic autoregressive distributed lag, Bayern and Hank cointegration, and frequency domain causality to explore these interrelationships. The ARDL bounds test outcome confirms a long-run connection between ecological footprint and its drivers. Besides, we employed the Bayern and Hank cointegration, and the outcome resonated with the ARDL bounds test result. Moreover, the dynamic ARDL outcomes disclosed that economic progress worsens the ecosystem whilst renewable energy, trade globalization, and technological innovation lessen the ecological footprint. In addition, no significant interrelationship was found between financial development and ecological footprint. Moreover, with the exemption of financial development, all the exogenous variables can forecast the ecological footprint in Brazil. The study proposes that policymakers in Brazil should undertake investments in research and development in order to achieve technological innovation. Furthermore, since technological innovation has been shown to contribute significantly to lowering the ecological footprint, it is possible to assume that enhancing current technology is the ultimate remedy to Brazil's ecological problems. • Dynamic ARDL applied to Brazil's time series data. • Renewable energy and Technology innovation improve environmental quality. • Trade and globalization also reduce Ecological Footprints (EF). • Economic Growth contributes to higher EF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy simulations are extensively employed by researchers and designers to assess strategies aimed at enhancing the thermal performance or energy efficiency of buildings. However, the methodologies for conducting these simulations and analyzing their outcomes vary according to regional standards and among research groups. This work aims to investigate the methods for evaluating the thermal performance of buildings through energy simulations, through a systematic literature review. Initially, the authors surveyed articles published between 2011 and 2022 on Scopus and Web of Science. From an initial pool of 1463 articles that met the research criteria, a refined list of 158 papers were read completely. The authors examined prevalent trends in the methods and identified future research directions. Most publications originated from authors in Northern Hemisphere, with only Brazil showing expressive numbers in the Southern Hemisphere. The results revealed the three most employed methods: Thermal Load (94 %), Degree-Hour (or Degree-Day) (9 %), and Design Days (5 %). EnergyPlus stands out as the widely preferred software (65 % of studies), and 62 % of them incorporate some form of validation or calibration. Articles often lack complete simulations parameters and/or clarity in their presentation. In response to the identified gaps, this study introduces a checklist of best practices for presenting the simulation steps. As such, this work serves as a valuable theoretical framework for future assessments of building thermal performance through computer simulation. • We reviewed 185 papers on methods to evaluate therm. Perform. Via energy simulations. • Thermal Load (94 %), Degree-Hour (9 %) and Design Days (5 %) are the most used methods. • EnergyPlus and ASHRAE are the most used software and standard, respectively. • Literature gaps include comparative studies and conversion strategies among methods. • Standardized protocols for model calibration and validation are still limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This research presents an exhaustive assessment of urban freight in São Paulo. • Indicators provide a baseline for assessing trends in freight efficiency over time. • This paper has potential significant impact on other Latin-American cities. • This study provides tools to complement global emission inventories in urban areas. • Results provide freight metrics to Brazil's National Determined Commitments (NDC). On-road freight transportation predominates in in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), railways and other means of transportation do not have the same importance, being is responsible for around a large quantity greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. This manuscript presents an assessment of urban road freight in the MRSP based on primary metrics carried out by the Municipality's survey in 2016 on light- and heavy-duty vehicles (LDVs and HDVs). Origin (O) and destination (D) freight activity indicators provide a baseline for assessing trends in efficiency and operational performance. These descriptive (DIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) come directly and indirectly from the O and D company vehicle survey and identify space and temporal distributions of main freight transport sources by vehicle and commodity types. This paper addresses the need to use the vehicle survey to understand road freight activity and transportation in MRSP and with successive editions of the freight survey it will be possible to track the development of the commodity's transport content to reveal a chronological development in freight logistics and emissions. As the metropolitan region sprawls, it is important to track these metrics in order to define and evaluate sound measures and policies to improve life and air quality. Assumptions and analyses of freight road transport in São Paulo find significant new perspectives to handle several issues in order to assess and improve vehicle utilization, fuel efficiency and CO 2 emissions in future over time. This research has potential significant impact in other Latin American cities and the results can be extrapolated to other local freight inventories and be used to provide freight metrics to be included in Brazil's National Determined Commitments (NDC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Correlation among peak demand, energy generation and consumption. • Simulation with a statistical model. • Optimization model to compute peak demand contract and PV panels quantity. • The method considers the Expected Value and the Conditional-Value-at-Risk. • Analysis performed for a real commercial consumer in Brazil. In the last few years, the growth of solar power worldwide has been remarkable and, different from other sources, it allows small and big consumers to play an important role in the electric system. In Brazil, for big consumers, apart from the benefit associated with energy cost reduction, the photovoltaic system can also reduce the peak demand as well, making the investment even more attractive. Therefore, one of the main challenges for consumers is to accurately estimate the impact of photovoltaic systems on their costs. To do that, the estimation of their future energy consumption, peak demand and energy generation from photovoltaic systems is important to properly compute the economic advantages of such investments. This paper proposes to solve this problem by simulating future energy scenarios of energy consumption, generation and peak demand and correlating them to compute the optimum quantity of photovoltaic panels to be installed and the peak demand contract with the utility by solving a mixed integer linear stochastic optimization model. In the first part of this work, a Box & Jenkins modelling is used to estimate the parameters of the energy consumption, generation and peak demand in a correlated way. In the second part, a stochastic optimization model is applied using a convex combination of the Expected Value and Conditional Value-at-Risk, which were used as risk metrics to compute the optimum number of panels and the best peak demand contract. To illustrate the proposed approach, a case study of a real big consumer is presented, considering a specific contract applied in Brazil. The results allow us to analyze the investment in photovoltaic systems considering the risk level of the consumer and the correlation of all variables involved. In addition to that, the proposed paper can be used as a reference model to be applied in different modalities in Brazil and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two economic activities have been integrated in southern Brazil: olive cultivation and sheep farming. The favorable edaphoclimatic conditions in the southern region for cultivating olive trees and cultural preferences for the consumption of sheep meat make this integration a valuable strategy. Considering that every activity causes environmental impact and the exploitation of natural resources, new systems that promote sustainable development and the efficient use of these resources become necessary. This paper presents the first study of the carbon footprint of the life cycle of integrating of sheep and olive farming, with the objective to build an inventory based on primary data collected on olive and sheep farms in Brazil, determine the carbon footprint of the conventional and integrated system and estimate the potential for mitigating GHG emissions. The evaluation was performed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The study focuses on the detailed analysis of the processes and activities that are responsible for GHG emissions, including enteric methane emissions, methane emissions from manure management, emissions from nitrogen fertilizer use and limestone application and energy consumption. For this, two major scenarios were considered, the first centered around on the traditional olive cultivation and sheep farming systems individually, and the second involved their synergistic integration. The findings indicate that the conventional system is associated with a global warming impact of 6.8 kg CO 2 eq per liter olive oil and kg live weight. In contrast, the integrated system demonstrates a significant mitigation potential of 27.7%, resulting in a reduced global warming impact of 4.92 kg CO 2 eq. This advantage is a consequence of the synergy between the systems, as they now occupy the same area, which allows the sharing of agricultural activities and agrochemical inputs, in addition to optimizing nutrient recycling and complementing each other. Additionally, the results of a sensitivity analysis showed that enteric methane from sheep and the application of limestone to the soil are the most influential parameters on the carbon footprint, indicating that they are key parameters for the development of GHG mitigation strategies, some of which were discussed in the article. • First life cycle assessment of integration between olive and sheep farming in Brazil. • The inventory was constructed with primary data collected in situ. • The study assesses the carbon footprint of the olive and sheep farming system. • The results show environmental advantages of the integration of olive and sheep farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study focusing on fourteen most used energy alternatives in Brazil, possible to feed large scale hydrogen production plants for the automotive sector. The evaluations are made using a Decision Making Support Method, MACBETH - Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique, with the computational code M-MACBETH 3.2.0, using criteria that include economic and financial, technological, environmental and social aspects. The selected criteria that were used in the assessment, for each of the energy alternatives are capital to be invested in a plant, leveled cost of electric energy produced, CO 2 emissions, mortality rate due to the technology use and energy efficiency of technology. The main results obtained showed that photovoltaics off grid electric energy is the most attractive alternative, followed by the photovoltaic on grid alternative, for an eventual automotive hydrogen program in Brazil. • Multicriteria method was used in this study. • Economic, financial, technological and environmental aspects were considered. • Several criteria were considered including emissions and mortality rate. • Photovoltaics off grid was considered the most attractive energy alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open water transposition channels in hot and arid regions lose significant amounts of water through evaporation. This is the case with the São Francisco River Integration Project (PISF) in Brazil. This paper proposes using photovoltaic (PV) panels to cover the channels of the PISF to reduce evaporation and save water. The study aims to evaluate the potential amount of water saved by this technology across all channel lengths, as well as the energy that can be generated by the covered watercourses. The study also examines whether the energy produced can be used to power the transposition pumps during peak radiation hours, improving the energy efficiency of the project. To achieve the study's goals, the authors conducted a thorough review of academic and industrial literature on the state-of-the-art of PV generation in Brazil and worldwide. They also examined the regional geography, meteorology, irradiation, and social characteristics of the area. The authors identified the characteristics of the channels and watercourses of PISF and calculated their solar potential. The study found that covering all current channel extensions with PV panels could save up to 25,000 m3 Water per day to supply the deprived population, improving their quality of life and generating 1,250 GWh annually. [Display omitted] • Use of photovoltaics approach to reduce evaporative water losses in channels. • The Largest River (PISF) transposition project case. • The use of PV panels to cover the PISF water courses. • Covering channel extensions with PV panels could save up to 25,000 m 3 Water/day. • Generating 1,200 GW h annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript presents a clean energy solution for marine applications, investigating both the choice of the most promising production and storage technologies and, in a second step, the best operational management in order to satisfy a ship's energy demand. The case study subject of the analysis is a ferry, with a capacity up to 200 people, operating on the artificial lake of Itaipu hydroelectric plant (on the border between Brazil and Paraguay). In the framework of new international rules, aimed at clean and sustainable solutions, in particular in Emission Control Areas, PEM fuel cells are a promising technology for onboard power generation. In this paper a PEM fuel cell system is investigated in detail, analyzing the best operative strategy in terms of energy efficiency, CO2 emissions and costs, in comparison with the state-of-the-art solution for ships (fuel oil ICEs). The analysis is performed with two dedicated software tools, both developed at the University of Genoa: the first is a tool modeled to support the preliminary design and the choice of the most promising solutions for maritime applications; the second is a software program for thermo-economic analysis of energy systems in time-dependent conditions, aimed at determination of the best operative strategy, minimizing operative costs. The proposed approach has general validity thus it can also be applied to different kinds of ships, even considering different technologies for energy generation and storage. • We investigate different alternative technologies for energy production and storage. • We choose the best solution and compare it with the state of the art one. • We perform a time-dependent analysis of the two best technologies. • We compare the results in terms of fuel consumptions, emissions and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil and gas offshore platforms present similar structural designs and include operations such as separation, compression and pumping. However, they handle large variations in the production of hydrocarbons and water over time. They may also follow different modes of operation depending on the field characteristics and fluid properties. It is therefore not possible to suggest a standard layout of an offshore platform that can be widely implemented in distinct petroleum regions. The oil and gas processing plant should be designed adequately to maximise the hydrocarbon production and minimise the power, heating and cooling demands. The utility plant should be designed appropriately to minimise the fuel consumption and cover the energy needs in all production phases. The present paper presents a generic methodology that addresses these challenges and builds on a combination of process simulation, energy analysis and optimisation routines. Possible platform layouts are sized, evaluated and ranked, based on preliminary estimates of the production profiles and petroleum properties. This methodology is applied to three case studies, derived from actual field data from Norway and Brazil, with different field conditions, fluid compositions (e.g. negligible, medium and high CO 2 contents of the well-fluids) and operational requirements (e.g. gas export, injection and lift). The results illustrate the benefits of the proposed methodology, as a comparison with the 'business-as-usual' case shows up to 25–30% energy savings and CO 2 -emissions along the field lifespan. • A novel methodology for designing and optimising energy-efficient platforms is presented. • Different petroleum compositions and production profiles are considered. • Various concepts for local power and heat generation and process design are assessed. • Energy savings and CO2-reductions can reach up to 25–30% compared to business as usual scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether there is a unit root in renewable energy consumption in three large developing economies: Brazil, China, and India over the period 1971–2014. To do so, it uses four unit root tests assuming one structural break, two structural breaks, and more than two structural breaks. It observes that renewable energy consumption is a unit root process in Brazil, but it is found as stationary in China and India. The paper also tackles issues and challenges in the unit root test methodology in energy economics literature and provides implications for renewable energy consumption in three economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A financial model to determine the feasibility of cogeneration systems was applied. • The influence of the partial load of the cogeneration system was investigated. • A cogeneration system for tropical climate conditions was characterized. • The environmental feasibility by using the microturbine on the system was better over the engine. • The payback time was of up to 8 years when the equipment was resized to meet the demand. Abstract In countries with tropical climates there is a great need for air-conditioning in buildings. This is due to the high temperatures and high humidity in the tropics and sub-tropical regions such as Northeast Brazil. Overall, electricity bills show that an excessive amount of money is spent on achieving thermal comfort using regular air-conditioning systems to remove heat from buildings. The electricity consumed by such systems can represent about 50% of the total electricity bill. This paper proposes using a cogeneration system in the rectorate building of a university campus. A cogeneration system comprises a reciprocating engine as the prime mover, a back-up boiler, an accumulation tank and a single-effect absorption chiller to remove excess heat. The main advantage of using this kind of system is that increasing the production temperature of cold water improves the overall efficiency of the system as the residual heat is at a lower temperature. This solution is applied to the rectorate of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) in João Pessoa, Northeast Brazil, where the demand for cool temperatures is intense and the consumption of energy is extremely high since the average annual relative humidity and the dry bulb temperature are about 75% and 27 °C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper is a multi-case study of three oil and gas projects in Brazil that investigates the tacit knowledge on how to best manage energy use during the construction phase. Twenty-two in-depth interviews form the primary evidence of the case studies. The methodology incorporates network analysis of concepts that influence energy use to formalize the case studies and collect additional knowledge. The framework comprises thirteen construction activities and twenty-one systems and factors related to design, resources and site characteristics, specific to the construction domain. This set of concepts can influence the energy consumption during the construction phase. Although these concepts are present in nearly every project, their dynamics and their inter-relations with project-specific systems change, depending on the context of the project. The proposed method, which employs network analysis, help identify their interrelationships and relative importance of these concepts. In addition to the opportunities and lessons learned that can guide future energy assessments and improve energy use in construction projects, the results show how promising network analytics is to obtain knowledge usually difficult to perceive in traditional knowledge processes. Besides, this work highlights the importance of supporting collaboration between project team members to study and decide on the plans to manage/reduce energy consumption during the construction phase in oil and gas facilities. While the energy savings are smaller than the upstream and operation phases, it has received much less attention. It is also a phase with much more subjective and contextualized knowledge – making the use of case-based analyses more suitable. Highlights • Supports collaboration in studying and planning energy use during the construction phase of O&G projects. • Three case studies are conducted supported by in-depth interviews. • Network analysis is used to represent construction activities, factors and systems. • The approach represents a meaningful way to formalize the knowledge in the cases. • Can help formalize the knowledge contained in a text case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology selection, its power and efficiency determination for electricity generation using agroforestry residues is the main goal and the novelty of this paper. It is based on the fitted efficiency vs. power curves for commercial mature technologies. The assessment of the level of maturity of biomass-based electricity generation Technologies based on Technology Readiness Levels was used as criteria to define the technologies to be considered in this study: conventional Rankine cycle, organic Rankine cycle and gasifier/internal combustion engine. Pretreatment technologies influence on generation costs is determined based on chippers and drum dryers cost and its energy consumption. We developed a coherent methodology for selecting the technology and calculation of power/efficiency of electricity generation projects considering biomass derived from plant-based lignocellulosic solid biomass residues derived from agricultural and forest activities. A case study based on eucalyptus forest residues availability in three microregions of the Minas Gerais State in Brazil allowed to define the technology to be used in each case and its power, efficiency and levelized cost of electricity, that includes pretreatment and logistic costs. Obtained LCOE values are compared with data from different publications, that is a validation of the presented methodology. Results allow concluding about the considerable influence of residues logistics on LCOE. [Display omitted] • Lowest LCOE corresponds to CRC:0,1652 USD/kWh. • Highest LCOE corresponds to G/ICE with 0,3080 USD/kWh. • Costs and power consumption data of pretreatment technologies are presented. • Fitted power-efficiency curves based on an extensive literature review are presented. • Only technologies with higher maturity, CRC, ORC and G/ICE, are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007 was settled the first minimum energy performance standards for air conditioners in Brazil. After more than 14 years since the first regulations and looking upon future perspectives, this paper presents a review of regulatory developments in the country and an assessment based on scenario simulation to verify potential impacts of new minimum energy performance standards for air conditioners. The methodology employed is a bottom-up approach designed to estimate the energy consumption of air conditioners. A spreadsheet-based computational tool was developed to perform sensitivity analysis of key parameters such as ownership rate, average temperature and cooling degree days. The results show a significant energy savings potential that could be captured through a minimum energy performance standards revision. For the scenarios simulated these savings potential would reach up to 417 TWh, with respective greenhouse gases emissions reduction that would be 249 million tons, over the period from 2023 to 2040. An economic analysis of minimum energy performance standards impact is also provided and indicate that even in conditions that involve higher costs and discount rates, new more restrictive minimum energy performance standards allow capturing significant benefits for the society as a whole and for consumers individually. Reviewing the minimum energy performance standards is a critical and urgent issue for Brazil and the methodology presented in this paper can be useful in the process of decision-making related to new regulatory developments. • More restrictive MEPS for air conditioners is urgently needed in Brazil. • The synergy between the CGIEE, Procel and PBE/INMETRO should be improved. • The methodology presented in the paper can support the process of MEPS revisions. • Energy, economic and environmental benefits of more stringent MEPS can be very significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro irrigation has been claimed to be the world's most valued irrigation innovation. However, both its potential to save water and its adaptability to smallholders’ needs are being questioned, while its energy requirement implies financial and environmental costs that are not affordable everywhere. This paper contributes to this debate with a field performance assessment of smallholder micro irrigation systems in the Baixo Acaraú Irrigation District, Ceará, Brazil, and a novel analysis model that depicts the energy-water-yield nexus by linking irrigation performance with energy efficiency and yield gap. Irrigation system performance was evaluated in a sample of 40 family lots and compared to design performance in a fairly homogeneous subset of them. Pumping inefficiency and inappropriate filtering have been at the root of system deficiencies. The great variability of irrigation performance indicated a wide margin for improvement and the possibility of using prominent farmers as benchmarks. Although there has been “technology translation” in the irrigation district that included local innovation in the filtering system, the process has not been completed. It is concluded that the adoption of foreign irrigation technology could be accelerated with the collaboration between local innovators and publicly-supported irrigation advisory services using integrated performance assessment approaches like the one presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on an analysis of the energy mix profile and energy efficiency of the Brazilian dairy industry. It investigates dairies’ energy mix and energy efficiency and identifies some actions for a cleaner energy mix. Primary data from 37 dairy cheese-making establishments distributed among the Brazilian regions were obtained from online surveys. The results indicate that woodfuel plays a critical role, being the most used fuel in thermal energy generation, while diesel is dominant in electric generation. It also emphasizes that only 51% of the dairy establishments utilize electric energy generators. Other alternative biomass sources are still incipient in the sector, restricted to just 9.5% of the cases for thermal energy generation and no cases for electricity. Regarding the energy efficiency analysis, the results suggest dairies are more scale efficient than pure technical efficient. However, the dairies present a low energy efficiency level. There is no evidence that inefficiencies are differently distributed according to their size. These findings are important for government agencies, industry associations, scientists, universities and research institutes. High inefficiencies, regarding the use of electricity and thermal energy, are a key issue in sustainable bioenergy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the need to increase energy efficiency across various sectors of the economy, the Brazilian government through the national energy efficiency plan (adopted in 2011) seeks to avoid 30 million tons of CO2 emissions through a reduction in electricity consumption of about 10% by 2030. Notwithstanding, we believe that a complete realization of such initiative will be dependent on the level of substitutability between different production factors and fuel types. Using the translog production function method, this paper, first provides insight on the economic impact of both factor and fuel inputs in Brazil. Most importantly, we examine the possibility of substitution among capital, labor, petroleum, and electricity. The ridge regression technique was used to estimate the parameters after our data depicted the existence of multicollinearity. Our results show that capital and labor are positively linked to output; however, petroleum and electricity contribute negatively to economic output in Brazil of which corruption is a plausible reason. Again, all variable inputs are substitutes with their relative technological progress depicting features of convergence. This implies that Brazil can achieve a cleaner energy system without much challenges due to the possibility of switching from greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting petroleum to a cleaner energy electricity. Our findings also highlight the importance of policies that advance merger of enterprises, and renewable energy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, 75% of global energy consumption occurs in cities. On the topic of climate change, adapting urban settlements to face this growing demand is a priority issue, especially for fast-growing cities in developing countries such as Brazil. Planning the urban morphology of the built environment is a key issue in shifting to a climate adapted urban environment. This paper addresses an important threefold energy challenge of tropical cities: the major potential of harnessing solar energy as renewable resource for local electricity production and the energy-saving paradox of reducing the undesirable solar heat gains in buildings while providing satisfactory levels of daylight. It aims at measuring the effect size of urban form factors regarding these energy goals. This study applies the Design Of Experiments (DOE) approach. A DOE analysis is a statistical technique that provides a set measure of how design parameters are correlated and the effective contribution of each one to a given response of interest. This study proposes a fractional factorial DOE method coupled to a Simplified Radiosity Algorithm (SRA) aiming to evaluate the irradiation availability on building envelopes while taking a large representative sample of contrasted urban block geometries into account. The buildings’ envelope solar irradiation availability assesses a set of energy-related morphological parameters. Results indicate a significant impact of the aspect ratio, the distance between buildings and the surface equivalent albedo. Establishing high values of street aspect ratio may cut solar irradiation on roofs by 130 kW h/m 2 year, while increasing the plot ratio may only yield 26 kW h/m 2 year. The results also point out important first order interaction effects between certain variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the environmental impacts of a refrigerator recycling system in Brazil and quantifies its ecological advantages over primary resource production through a Life Cycle Assessment based on ISO 14040. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) accounts for savings of 720 kg CO 2 -eq per recycled refrigerator on average, thus demonstrating that an environmentally sound recycling process holds substantial emission reduction potential. In addition, the application of the recycling process in conjunction with collection and reverse logistics of refrigerators in a recycling system can reduce energy demand in Brazil by an average of 1.5 GJ per recycled unit. As a result, refrigerator recycling systems qualify as a valid and scalable energy efficiency measure in accordance with the Brazilian national framework for the evaluation of energy efficiency projects (PROPEE). The energy economics for projects based on recycling systems are shown for the 30 largest energy distributors in Brazil. Available budgets, calculated with diagnostics undertaken in conformity with the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) for a threshold value (cost-benefit ratio = 0.8), clearly indicate the viability and competitiveness of these recycling systems as project opportunities for energy conservation under the national energy regulation agency ANEEL's energy efficiency program (PEE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One of the most desired aspects for power suppliers is the acquisition/sale of energy for a future demand. However, power consumption forecast is characterized not only by the variables of the power system itself, but also related to social–economic and climatic factors. Hence, it is imperative for the power suppliers to project and correlate these parameters. This paper presents a study of power load forecast for power suppliers, considering the applicability of wavelets, time series analysis methods and artificial neural networks, for both mid and long term forecasts. Both the periods of forecast are of major importance for power suppliers to define the future power consumption of a given region. The paper also studies the establishment of correlations among the variables using Bayesian networks. The results obtained are much more effective when compared to those projected by the power suppliers based on specialist information. The research discussed here is implemented on a decision support system, contributing to the decision making for acquisition/sale of energy at a future demand; also providing them with new ways for inference and analyses with the correlation model presented here. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the use of an internationally recognized validation and diagnostics procedure to test the fidelity of a simplified calculation method. The case study is the simplified model for calculation of energy performance of building envelopes, introduced by the Brazilian regulation for energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The first step of the assessment consisted on evaluating the simplified model results using the BESTEST. This paper presents a straightforward approach to apply the BESTEST in other climates than the original one (Denver, USA). The second step of the assessment consisted on applying the simplified model to evaluate four building typologies, and compare the results with those obtained using a state of the art building energy simulation (BES) program. For some BESTEST cases, the simplified model presented results inside of a confidence interval calculated by the authors. However, the simplified model was found to yield significant difference in the four building typologies analysed. Moreover, in all four building typologies analysed, the simplified model led to a lower energy efficiency label when compared to the label obtained using BES. The paper concludes that the simplified model may require improvements to properly indicate the actual energy performance of commercial building envelopes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Air conditioning systems in commercial buildings in Brazil are responsible for about 70% share of their energy consumption. According to BEN 2009 (The Brazilian Energy Balance), energy consumption in the residential, commercial and public sectors, where most buildings are found, represents 9.3% of the final energy consumption in Brazil. This paper aims to examine design factors that could contribute to greater reductions of electric energy consumption in commercial buildings, with emphasis on air conditioning. Simulations were carried out using shades and different types of glass, walls, flooring and roofing. The VisualDOE 2.61 was used as a simulation tool for calculating energy consumption of the analyzed building. This paper shows that the energy performance of the building is considerably influenced by the façade protection and shows, through tables, the impact that decisions related to the top-level and façades have on the energy consumption of the building. The authors concluded that the results confirm the importance of taking energy use into account in the very first design stages of the project, since appropriate choices of types of glass, external shading and envelope materials have a significant impact on energy consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a study based on the Systems Thinking and Scenario Planning (STSP) method, focusing the biodiesel production chain of Rio Grande do Sul State. The aim of the study was to identify key elements to comprehend the systemic structure of interaction among the ties of this chain. The study was held by a team of specialists over five months, including 15 meetings. Discussions were based on quantitative and qualitative data and a systemic map was constructed and refined. Based on this modeling, four different prospective scenarios were comparatively analyzed in order to propose strategic actions to promote the sustainability and competitiveness of the chain. The results were then presented to two different groups of external specialists in order to validate the conclusions drawn and the proposals. Both groups agreed with the ideas presented. The paper is constructed as follows: a brief introduction focusing on contextual elements of the biodiesel production in Brazil and in Rio Grande do Sul; some background material regarding agroindustrial production chains and an overview of the biodiesel production chain of interest; a description of the method used to perform the research; main results and discussion; and conclusions. With this paper the authors also hope to contribute to the discussion regarding competitiveness and sustainability of biofuel chains in Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An emergent strategy to target sustainability involves an understanding of the water-energy interconnections. It takes water to produce energy, and it takes energy to source, treat, and distribute water. Sanitation and energy distribution are the world's pre-eminent development challenges. They are a magnifier of poverty, ill-health and mortality, and gender inequality. The word 'nexus' means the understanding of these interdependencies, tensions, and trade-offs. This paper investigates water-energy interconnections through critical analysis. We applied a bottom-up approach to describe Sao Paulo state's river basins, in Southeast Brazil, from the household to the regional scale. Initially, water availability, energy consumption and wastewater treatment data are inferred using per capita data. The subsequent data analysis then considered the positive and negative linkages among the basins. Local and state levels of dependency are also assessed, considering environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The significance of this paper lies in understanding these interconnections and their interdependence within the local context and individuals' behaviour. The results allow a comprehensive analysis of the water-energy Nexus across Sao Paulo state. The critical analysis also shows how the primary drivers contribute to urbanisation levels, population growth, and industrial activities. • Regional WE Nexus analysis is undertaken for the most industrialised state of Brazil. • The increase in wastewater treatment highlights the sustainability path. • Wastewater treatment growth rates are higher than population and GDP rates. • It develops a unique database for future studies using the Nexus approach. • Population growth, GDP, and industrial intensity are the main drivers in the WE Nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Isolated hybrid diesel-PV grids investigated at varying levels of PV penetration. • Effect of PV penetration on specific fuel consumption and payback period examined. • IEEE 30-bus configuration used with generation/load data based on measured data. • Results demonstrate similar fuel consumption for different dispatch strategies. • PV penetration above 50% enables a calculated payback period of fewer than 2 years. Isolated large communities in the Amazon region of Brazil are power by Islanded grids powered by diesel generator systems. The costs of these systems are high due to the complex and unreliable fuel supply chain. Including large-scale photovoltaic installations in these isolated grids have the potential to increase the reliability and reduce the cost of electricity. This paper investigates the impact of PV generation insertion on the specific consumption of isolated thermoelectric power plants. A diesel thermoelectric power plant (DTPP) of 4 MW, supplying electric energy to an isolated grid, was used as a case study. Five Photovoltaic penetration levels are evaluated, considering the operational regulatory constraints, three diesel generators (A, B and C), two daily solar irradiance profiles and annual solar irradiance profiles, and two dispatch strategies. The power plant loading range is bounded by the Brazilian regulatory framework to comply with fuel consumption efficiency measures and to guarantee the reliable operation. In the evaluated scenarios, PV penetration was not subject to power curtailment measures controlled by the DTPP. However, the power plant loading range considers both variation of photovoltaic generation and load. The results presented in this paper indicate that maintaining a higher number of machines in operation can make the DTPP more reliable to absorb the PV generation variations, enabling the growth of the PV penetration on the electric system, reducing the DTPP's fuel consumption and return on investment (payback) of the PV system without change significantly the DTPP's specific consumption. The results also show that the quality of the diesel generator is more important to keep specific fuel consumption low than the dispatch strategy used for a given PV penetration. The replacement of Generator A (less efficient) for B (more efficient) together the PV penetration of 50%, for example, can achieve a yearly fuel consumption reduction superior to 1 million liters. For the same PV penetration, an average annual reduction of 0.78 million liters in DTPP's fuel consumption can be reached, with PayBacks that could come close to 1.4 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A top-down analysis of the non-residential building stock in Brazil is proposed. • The share of each building typology in the country energy consumption was assessed. • A statistical analysis showed variation of EUI according to type of building and region. • Reference values for the commercial building stock in Brazil is provided. This paper provides a pioneering, top-down analysis of the non-residential building stock in Brazil. A country-wide dataset was used, comprising 10,000 buildings divided into 12 typologies. Key indicators include floor area, energy use intensity, and operation patterns. In addition, predominant wall constructions, lighting systems, equipment, water heating, and HVAC systems for each typology were identified, including average density power for the systems. Data from the Brazilian Energy Balance report was correlated with the sample of buildings to determine the proportion of each building typology in the total energy consumption of the country, considering different energy sources. This study provides an innovative and up-to-date status of the characteristics of non-residential buildings in Brazil. A complementary statistical analysis addressed the correlation between energy use intensity and the building characteristics including an ANOVA test and a regression analysis in order to investigate the influence of the energy usage indicators (Lighting Power Density, Equipment Power Density, Cooling capacity) on the energy use intensity of each building typology in Brazil. This study is intended to serve as a reference for building characteristics and building energy performance in Brazil, and hence support diverse research regarding country-level building stock modeling, energy benchmarking, climate change impacts, and energy-efficiency related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) for Brazil from 1970 to 2010 as an alternative indicator to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). After a growing disparity between these two indicators in the 1980s, when Brazil's per capita GPI featured a 35% decline, there was a relative catch-up in per capita GPI, but not one sufficiently strong enough to reduce the historical GPI–GDP gap. The recent trend of rapidly increasing environmental and social costs, along with the decline in unpaid labour and infrastructure services, poses concerns about the sustainability of an increasing GPI for Brazil into the future. Policies aimed at reducing environmental costs are necessary if Brazil is to enjoy a sustainable pattern of non-declining economic welfare. Brazil must pursue a higher rate of productivity in material and energy consumption in order to keep environmental pressures to a minimum level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to present a methodology to estimate the price curve of electricity during periods of energy deficit. This study is based on long-term cointegration relationships between the gross domestic product and the consumption of electricity in Brazil. The methodology estimates the price for each percentage unit deficit, thereby giving a curve with levels of deficit that can vary from 1% to 100%, in contrast to the current curve of prices in deficit, which is restricted to four levels. Prices in deficit are important parameters exogenous to the chain of models for planning the operation of electric power in Brazil, so the application of this methodology should have a positive impact on the calculation of marginal costs of operation and expansion, as well as on the calculation of the spot price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a new approach for the evaluation of numerical methods used in calculating the Weibull parameters for the prediction of wind resource. In this evaluation, power is a key issue since it proves to be quite relevant in predicting the feasibility of a given site for efficient use of wind energy. Previous knowledge of such information is important for the decision process on the technical feasibility of installing industrial wind farms. The paper performed a statistical analysis of seven mathematical methods to estimate the shape parameter k and the scaling parameter c of the Weibull distribution. Wind speed and wind power data collected in two coastal cities (Icapuí and Camocim), State of Ceará, in the northeast region of Brazil were used. The methods used in the development of this research are the graphical method, maximum likelihood method, modified maximum likelihood method, empirical method, moment method, energy pattern factor method and the equivalent energy method. Comparative analysis of efficiency and accuracy involves the application of the following statistical tests: analysis of variance (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and chi-square (X 2). The use of power as a parameter to be evaluated in this study by analyzing the Weibull distribution, is something different from what has been discussed in the literature, and indicates that methods which are well evaluated when the wind speed is used as a comparison factor can change position when ranked by power. It is important to emphasize that the values of k and c were calculated directly from the values of wind power (not the wind speed, as usual), and subsequently it was statistically tested the adequacy of the values in the prediction of wind speed and wind power. The presented results indicate that the values generated for the shape and scale parameters provided differences considering the databases formed by wind speed and wind power, namely the graphical method. The wind power data produced accurate results when submitted to statistical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) energy transfer in a smart grid environment opens a new revenue opportunity for electric-drive vehicles (EVs), and might reduce grid operation costs in demand-constrained urban feeders where peak-electricity prices are high. This paper analyses the peak demand energy market for V2G in the urban region of Florianópolis, Brazil. The article describes known V2G-concepts and introduces two different dispatch strategies developed for the Brazilian energy market in the light of new tariff regulations, which are expected to go into effect starting in 2014. It turns out that electric-drive vehicles may be used as a grid-stabilisation strategy, but the announced tariff regulations may lead to a destabilisation if there are too many cars offering their internal storage for V2G grid support. Adequate energy policy strategies must be introduced to avoid the conflicting interests that might stem from the different perspectives of grid operators and EV owners. In contrast to previous analyses, this research assumes the battery degradation as a function of depth of discharge (DOD), which is known for a specific battery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• An overall panorama of the school buildings in Brazil was presented. • Energy billed data and survey evidence were used to build a statistical stock model. • The Weibull distribution was the most adequate to represent the continuous variables. • kWh/student·year was more suitable than kWh/m2·year to model Brazilian school buildings stock. • Thermal performance is an issue to be greatly improved in schools in Brazil. Understanding the actual conditions in school buildings regarding energy usage and environmental satisfaction gives way to the development of consistent building stock modelling. In the Brazilian context, a deep-rooted inefficient structure of energy management implies a lack of mapping the actual conditions of the public schools. Therefore, this paper aimed to assess the actual energy performance of school buildings in Brazil. This paper innovates by integrating questionnaire responses and billed energy data to allow the construction of an evidence-based stock model through a statistical approach, which was never performed for the Brazilian building stock. Moreover, the association of energy use intensity (EUI) with the core aspects of building characteristics, occupancy, environmental satisfaction and necessary improvements mapped the relevance of such aspects in energy usage patterns. Additionally, a discussion of the EUI indicators was addressed. Results showed an unprecedented broad panorama of the school building stock in Brazil and its main features. In terms of statistical analysis, the Weibull distribution was appropriate for representing the continuous variables of the stock. The EUI as a function of the number of students was more suitable than the floor-plan area to achieve a reliable energy performance analysis. Several tests were performed to assess if the energy management, environmental satisfaction and maintenance practices impacted the EUI or not. Finally, the main conclusion was that the stock model obtained was simple and fit the energy management structure in the Brazilian scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper assesses 13 different inputs for biodiesel production and shows that the highest cost currently associated with the processing of residual resources, as well as their small production scale, are compensated by their smaller procurement costs, by their immediate availability in the urban centers and by their larger potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction. Biodiesel production from residues can meet all technical international specifications, even the esterification process. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the methodology used in this study, allows for the building of an efficiency index up through linear programming with multiple inputs and outputs, enabling the integration of sustainable development dimensions. The experts' conclusions were arrived at through restrictions on virtual weighting, with findings that allow the grading of alternatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Energy management has been considered in the global agenda as a way to improve energy performance and greenhouse gas reduction in organizations. Industries account for a significant part of energy use worldwide and present opportunities for energy efficiency improvements. Within the industry, energy management is a complex task, regarding scenarios with variables related to the following perspectives: economics, contingency, technological change and behavioural. This paper aims at analyzing the influencing factors on energy management in industries from these perspectives. A survey with 40 variables was carried out with middle managers from different industrial sectors in Brazil. The variables were divided into three groups: drivers for investments in energy efficiency; organizational processes and actions in energy management; involvement of middle managers. Initially, an exploratory factor analysis technique was employed aiming at specifying the main factors influencing energy management. In the sequence , a confirmatory factor analysis was used to associate the variables to the main factors as well as to know how the factors relate to each other. The study showed a positive correlation among all the factors identified. Statistical tests suggested that the factors could not be explained separately. Hypotheses tests were applied to verify the influence of the factors among the groups surveyed. The final model comprised eight factors into the three groups: organizational (strategic , operational), involvement (motivation, support), drivers (production, economics , competitiveness, environment). The results and the main implications of the study are discussed in the paper. • The main factors on energy management presented a positive correlation among them. • Middle managers' involvement influenced strategy and operation on energy management. • Middle managers' involvement depended on the support and motivation from superiors. • Operational factor on energy management influenced drivers for energy efficiency. • Production process was a driver for energy efficiency influencing energy management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An innovative framework for energy benchmarking of buildings is proposed. • Entropy and cluster analysis reduced uncertainty in setting parameters of archetypes. • The machine learning technique used as a benchmarking tool showed high performance. • The benchmarking applied in actual buildings showed a high inefficiency ratio. Energy benchmarking of buildings has an important role in improving energy performance by establishing a reference for the energy efficiency of the building stock. The simulation of archetypes followed by a generalisation model has been widely used to obtain benchmarks. However, even though archetypes summarise the main features of the building stock, the uncertainties must be accounted for in the modelling process. Moreover, testing the response of the benchmarking model using the actual building stock data supports the reliability of the method. This paper aims to propose an innovative framework to reduce the uncertainty of archetypes for benchmarking buildings. A standard framework for data compiling is proposed and an assessment of the uncertainty of variables using entropy and cluster analysis allowed to obtain representative archetypes. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was used as a predictive tool, and it was applied to benchmark a sample of actual buildings. Also, the simulation outcomes were used to determine energy end-uses according to the climatic zones. The framework proposition is presented alongside with a practical application. The result is an unprecedented benchmarking model: the archetype considers more variation in parameters of the building stock with higher uncertainties. Additionally, the modelling process showed to be robust for combining different datasets, and the ANN achieved high-performance metrics. Conclusion indicates the potential of using the framework for other typologies. Moreover, the framework demonstration is used for a school stock in Brazil, showing a trend to the inefficiency while a specific case study was explored, showing the potential of the method to find faults in the building energy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tackles the short-term hydro-power unit commitment problem in a multi-reservoir system — a cascade-based operation scenario. For this, we propose a new mathematical modeling in which the goal is to maximize the total energy production of the hydro-power plant in a sub-daily operation, and, simultaneously, to maximize the total water content (volume) of reservoirs. For solving the problem, we discuss the Multi-objective Evolutionary Swarm Hybridization (MESH) algorithm, a recently proposed multi-objective swarm intelligence-based optimization method which has obtained very competitive results when compared to existing evolutionary algorithms in specific applications. The MESH approach has been applied to find the optimal water discharge and the power produced at the maximum reservoir volume for all possible combinations of turbines in a hydro-power plant. The performance of MESH has been compared with that of well-known evolutionary approaches such as NSGA-II, NSGA-III, SPEA2, and MOEA/D in a realistic problem considering data from a hydro-power energy system with two cascaded hydro-power plants in Brazil. Results indicate that MESH showed a superior performance than alternative multi-objective approaches in terms of efficiency and accuracy, providing a profit of $412,500 per month in a projection analysis carried out. • An efficient Multi-objective Evolutionary Swarm Hybrid algorithm is proposed. • Development of a nonlinear model to operational control of Hydro-power plants. • Hydro-power plant data regression obtains the maximum efficiency of the power units. • Efficiency energy goals achieved an increasing the profit in the energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since the 1970s, demands arising from the impacts of the power sector on the natural environment were added to studies regarding the strategic power sector and its impact on the economic and financial crises. Thus, the development of alternative technologies reflected the new institutional guidelines and overcame the technological paradigms that were based on increasing installed capacities. Consequently, multiple debates that consider the energy use potential of each region and its contributions to sustainable development occurred. This paper presents the information that is necessary for understanding the relationships of the development model that was founded based on waste and the expanding technologies that exploit natural resources. Actions that are aimed at developing renewable energy resources are structured based on the instability of the technological maintenance paradigm and are guaranteed by expanding technologies that were used prior to 1970. In addition, we evaluated the current institutional arrangements that are used to promote wind energy. In this case, greater attention was given to the European experience because Europe provides multiple examples of successful legal frameworks that promote wind energy. In addition, Europe is a benchmark for emerging market countries, such as Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bagasse from sugarcane is traditionally used in the Brazilian sugar and ethanol industry to meet the energy needs of its own production processes and, more recently, to generate surplus electricity for sale on the national grid. Currently, the industry faces a difficult choice between either enhancing electricity generation or increasing ethanol production through the biochemical processing of bagasse. The aim of this paper is to examine the most promising technical configurations for bioenergy production using sugarcane bagasse and to discuss which configuration would be the most attractive investment option for the industry. At present, electricity generation through Rankine cycle power plants is the only commercially available alternative. Nevertheless, the analysis cannot be restricted only to the short term. For this purpose, cost analysis for 2030 were developed, and even in scenarios where there is an effective cost reduction of untradeable routes, the alternative of burning bagasse to generate electricity provides the most benefits from an investor perspective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Brazilian government has started up a large social housing program for low-income families. Considering the large investment for this program, it is important to analyse the environmental impact to create a base for further improvement assessment. The goal of this paper is to visualise the energy use (embodied and operational) during the life cycle of case study for a house in the social housing program. The case study showed that the embodied energy (EE) is 7.2GJ/m2 or 30% of the total energy from the life cycle, the operational energy is 17.5GJ/m2. Half of the Embodied Energy is due to material use for maintenance and around 57% of the embodied energy is used in the wall construction. Compared to other international studies (5.8GJ/m2 per 50 years), the embodied energy is relative high (7.2GJ/m2 per 50 years) whereas the operational energy is only the half (17.5 compared to 36GJ/m2 per 50 year). The study indicates that the largest improvement potential for reducing the embodied energy is connected to the walls trough choosing materials and systems with less Embodied Energy and higher durability to decrease the need for maintenance and substitution of materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) uses several kinds of sources, including wind and solar, to make better use of the natural resources in standalone applications. A common application of HRES is in remote communities, where interconnected electrical grid is unreachable due to economics and physical reasons. Due to the long distance and difficult access to these isolated areas, electrical generation systems used in these applications must be reliable. And the reliability of the system, especially the inverter used to regulate the AC voltage, is one of the main problems associated to these systems, and it is responsible for the lack of confidence in renewable systems at several locations in Brazil. This paper shows the results of using renewable hybrid systems specially designed for isolated areas, focusing attention on reliability, efficiency and expansion flexibility. It presents the system description, mode of operation, inverter design, and experimental results measured in a pilot plant located in Lençóis Island, a small isolated community in the north region of Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper deals with the analysis and comparison of 7 (seven) numerical methods for the assessment of effectiveness in determining the parameters for the Weibull distribution, using wind speed data collected in Camocim and Paracuru cities, State of Ceará, in the northeast region of Brazil, in the period from August 2004 to April 2006, obtained by the Department of Infrastructure of the State of Ceará. One method is not well known, namely the equivalent energy method, and its performance is compared to the others. By using the methods of analysis of variance, RMSE (root mean square error), and chi-square tests to compare the proposed methods, this study aims to determine which ones are effective in determining the parameters of the Weibull distribution for the available data, in an attempt to establish acceptable criteria to a better utilization of wind power in the State of Ceará, which is a national prominence in the use of renewable sources for electricity generation in Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Developing counties are often believed to have excellent conditions for biofuel production, however studies aimed at assessing the sustainability of large scale biofuel programs have generally focused on a few variables related to one scientific domain and one scale. Contrary to this approach, this paper analyzes soybean biodiesel in Brazil using a parallel biophysical and economic assessment at different scales. A Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach is applied as a scenario analysis tool. A soybean biodiesel energy balance for the specific conditions of Brazil is included and the energy ratio turns out to be 1.09. This means that the energy delivered is higher than the energy invested, however the net energy is very low. The economic impacts are analyzed through input–output analysis. The results show that soybean biodiesel increases energy consumption per hour of work without a corresponding increase in economic labor productivity. Consequently the already low energy efficiency of Brazilian production could get worse. Although Brazil has large expanses of land, the substitution of 20% fossil diesel (i.e. just 3.3% of the country's primary energy consumption) with fully renewable biodiesel might destroy protected areas and forests and increase the GHGs emitted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper addresses the application of Energy Efficiency Rating Technical Quality Regulations for Commercial, Service and Government Buildings – RTQ-C in order to ascertain whether the conventional construction system for buildings complies with these requirements. Additionally, it investigates the contribution of labeling to reducing electricity consumption by the building. To do so, the RTQ-C was applied to two buildings in order to calculate the efficiency levels of their envelopes and possible alterations are proposed for upgrading the envelope performance where pertinent. It is noted that conventional buildings adopting measures such as painting the walls and roof white, in addition to using smoked glass, are sufficient to bring the rating up to an A grade. As no specific concern was noted in the architectural designs for the buildings studied, making use of design strategies that minimize the use of electricity in these buildings, the findings of these case studies may well indicate that the RTQ-C has adopted technical requirements that are not particularly stringent. Consequently, it is believed that these requirements should be reviewed during a second stage, in order to make them more restrictive and attain further improvements in the constructed environment with better energy efficiency for buildings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the dynamic relationships between pollutant emissions, energy consumption, and the output for Brazil during 1980–2007. The Grey prediction model (GM) is applied to predict three variables during 2008–2013. In the long-run equilibrium emissions appear to be both energy consumption and output inelastic, but energy is a more important determinant of emissions than output. This may be because Brazilian unsustainable land use and forestry contribute most to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The findings of the inverted U-shaped relationships of both emissions–income and energy consumption–income imply that both environmental damage and energy consumption firstly increase with income, then stabilize, and eventually decline. The causality results indicate that there is a bidirectional strong causality running between income, energy consumption and emissions. In order to reduce emissions and to avoid a negative effect on the economic growth, Brazil should adopt the dual strategy of increasing investment in energy infrastructure and stepping up energy conservation policies to increase energy efficiency and reduce wastage of energy. The forecasting ability of GM is compared with the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model over the out-of-sample period between 2002 and 2007. All of the optimal GMs and ARIMAs have a strong forecasting performance with MAPEs of less than 3%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper addresses the impact of both economic growth and financial development on environmental degradation using a panel cointegration technique for the period between 1980 and 2007, except for Russia (1992–2007). In long-run equilibrium, CO2 emissions appear to be energy consumption elastic and FDI inelastic, and the results seem to support the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. The causality results indicate that there exists strong bidirectional causality between emissions and FDI and unidirectional strong causality running from output to FDI. The evidence seems to support the pollution haven and both the halo and scale effects. Therefore, in attracting FDI, developing countries should strictly examine the qualifications for foreign investment or to promote environmental protection through the coordinated know-how and technological transfer with foreign companies to avoid environmental damage. Additionally, there exists strong output-emissions and output-energy consumption bidirectional causality, while there is unidirectional strong causality running from energy consumption to emissions. Overall, the method of managing both energy demand and FDI and increasing both investment in the energy supply and energy efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions and without compromising the country’s competitiveness can be adopted by energy-dependent BRIC countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The increasing demand for energy, especially from renewable and sustainable sources, spurs the development of small hydropower plants and encourages investment in new survey studies. Preliminary hydropower survey studies usually carry huge uncertainties about the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the undeveloped potential. This paper presents a methodology for large-scale survey of hydropower potential sites to be applied in the inception phase of hydroelectric development planning. The sequence of procedures to identify hydropower sites is based on remote sensing and regional streamflow data and was automated within a GIS-based computational program: Hydrospot. The program allows spotting more potential sites along the drainage network than it would be possible in a traditional survey study, providing different types of dam-powerhouse layouts and two types (operating modes) of projects: run-of-the-river and storage projects. Preliminary results from its applications in a hydropower-developed basin in Brazil have shown Hydrospot’s limitations and potentialities in giving support to the mid-to-long-term planning of the electricity sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of an environmental impact assessment of biodiesel production from soybean in Brazil. In order to achieve this objective, environmental impact indicators provided by Emergy Accounting (EA), Embodied Energy Analysis (EEA) and Material Flow Accounting (MFA) were used. The results showed that for one liter of biodiesel 8.8kg of topsoil are lost in erosion, besides the cost of 0.2kg of fertilizers, about 5.2m2 of crop area, 7.33kg of abiotic materials, 9.0 tons of water and 0.66kg of air and about 0.86kg of CO2 were released. About 0.27kg of crude oil equivalent is required as inputs to produce one liter of biodiesel, which means an energy return of 2.48J of biodiesel per Joule of fossil fuel invested. The transformity of biodiesel (3.90E+05seJJ−1) is higher than those calculated for fossil fuels as other biofuels, indicating a higher demand for direct and indirect environmental support. Similarly, the biodiesel emergy yield ratio (1.62) indicates that a very low net emergy is delivered to consumers, compared to alternatives. Obtained results show that when crop production and industrial conversion to fuel are supported by fossil fuels in the form of chemicals, goods, and process energy, the fraction of fuel that can actually be considered renewable is very low (around 31%). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The red ceramic industry in Brazil, consisting of over 7000 companies, requires large amounts of thermal energy, currently being met mainly by native fuelwood, which causes serious deforestation and soil erosion problems. The use of firewood does not allow achieving good energy performance in industrial ceramic kilns, causing high energy losses, low productivity and low quality products (bricks and roof tiles). Thus, to implement higher added value products, besides mitigate environmental problems caused by deforestation, the use of natural gas by the sector seems to be a promising alternative. Brazil’s natural gas market has grown at a fast pace in recent years. Its share in the country’s primary energy consumption increased from 3.7% to 9.3% between 1998 and 2007, compared to almost 21% in the world. The development of the Brazilian natural gas industry was grounded on stepping up supplies through integration with Bolivia from where natural gas is imported, together with fiscal incentives for promoting the demand. This paper estimates that the natural gas market that could be developed in the Brazilian red ceramic industry corresponds to less than 5% of the total industrial natural gas consumption, meaning that a major technological transformation of the country’s red ceramic industry will not severely affect the natural gas market equilibrium, contributing to reduce the country’s high rates of deforestation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Since the year 2000 or so there has been a rapid growth on fuel ethanol production and consumption, particularly in US and Brazil. Ethanol trade represented about 10% of world consumption in 2005, Brazil being the main exporter. The most important consumer markets—US and European Union (EU)—have trade regimes that constrained the comparative advantages of the most efficient producers, such as Brazil. This paper evaluates the fuel ethanol market up to 2030 together with the potential for international biotrade. Based on forecasts of gasoline consumption and on targets and mandates of fuel ethanol use, it is estimated that demand could reach 272Gl in 2030, displacing 10% of the estimated demand of gasoline (Scenario 1), or even 566Gl in the same year, displacing about 20% of the gasoline demand (Scenario 2). The analysis considers fuel ethanol consumption and production in US, EU-25, Japan, China, Brazil and the rest of the world (ROW-BR). Without significant production of ethanol from cellulosic materials in this period, displacing 10% of the gasoline demand in 2030, at reasonable cost, can only be accomplished by fostering fuel ethanol production in developing countries and enhancing ethanol trade. If the US and EU-25 reach their full production potential (based on conventional routes), the minimum amount that could be traded in 2030 would be about 34Gl. Displacing 20% of the gasoline demand by 2030 will require the combined development of second-generation technologies and large-scale international trade in ethanol fuel. Without second-generation technologies, Scenario 2 could become a reality only with large-scale production of ethanol from sugarcane in developing countries, e.g., Brazil and ROW-BR could be able to export at least 14.5Gl in 2010, 73.9Gl in 2020 and 71.8Gl in 2030. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Improving the energy efficiency of emerging economies is the core of achieving efficient global development. This paper innovatively applies the slack based DEA to analyze the energy structure and energy-saving potential of BRICS countries in the past three decades. The results of empirical analysis show that, first, Brazil and Russia ranked first and last with the average efficiency of 0.5941 and 0.0921 respectively in the 30-year observation period. Second, the slack variable of each country is very large. For example, in 2018, India needs to reduce 436.17 Mtoe coal consumption, 105.65 Mtoe oil consumption, 25.39 Mtoe natural gas consumption, and 2038.05 million tons of carbon emissions to reach an effective state. Third, the reasons for inefficiency vary from country to country. Brazil, Russia, and India have low levels of energy management and lack of advanced key technologies. China and South Africa are faced with the problems of scale diseconomy and unreasonable resource allocation structure. The research results are helpful to understand the changing trend of energy efficiency and the reasons for low efficiency in BRICS, and can provide a reference for the formulation of scientific development strategy, which has important practical significance. Image 1 • Russia ranks last among the BRICS countries with an average efficiency of 0.0921. • The highest average efficiency is found in Brazil at 0.5941. • Brazil, Russia, and India lack of advanced key technologies. • China and South Africa are facing the problems of diseconomy of scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]