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This paper investigates the intricate interplay between carbon emissions and foreign direct investment within the context of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) for the period spanning 2000 to 2022. In our comprehensive analysis, we incorporate ecological footprint, renewable energy, globalization, and technological innovations as exogenous variables. Employing a system of simultaneous equations across the BRICS panel, we aim to fully elucidate the proposed relationships. Our empirical findings underscore the following key insights: foreign direct investment, technological innovations, and the adoption of renewable energy sources significantly contribute to the mitigation of carbon emissions in these selected nations. However, it is essential to note that ecological footprints exhibit a positive association with carbon emissions, raising concerns on two fronts: escalating environmental degradation and increased land pressure, both of which contribute to rising ecological footprints in BRICS countries. Additionally, our analysis reveals that foreign direct investment is influenced by its capacity to reduce carbon emissions and bolster renewable energy adoption, while globalization amplifies investment trends within the BRICS nations. To address the environmental repercussions of mining activities, it is imperative to implement stringent control and regulation measures, given their potential adverse impacts, including soil pollution, acid mine drainage, erosion, biodiversity loss, excessive water resource consumption, and wastewater disposal challenges. Nevertheless, proactive steps such as recycling mining waste, adopting environmentally friendly mining equipment, combatting illegal mining, and enhancing overall mining sustainability offer promising avenues to mitigate the environmental footprint of mining operations., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The research on Amazon wood waste focuses on the species' individual characteristics, not considering the conditions usually found in the industries, such as variations in the storage method and the waste's condition after exposure to the environment. Accordingly, the objective of this paper was to analyze the management of waste generated by wood industries located in Mato Grosso, Brazil, and to determine the physical and chemical properties of the stocked particulate waste for energy-generation purposes. Twenty-four industries located in eight cities were investigated regarding the generation, management, and trade of wood waste, and samples of the particulate waste were collected for characterization. Each of the evaluated industries processed an average of 857.92 m2 of wood logs per month, and 51.13% of this volume was waste. The species Erisma uncinatum and Qualea spp. stood out due to their greater processing volumes. The types of waste found were of firewood (in 100% of the industries), sawdust (87.5%), wood shavings (16.5%), and wood chips (12.5%). The main destinations of the traded waste were: intermediate buyers (30%), bioenergy plants (22%), cold rooms (18%), and grain dryers (16%). The humidity and bulk density of sawdust and wood chips were, respectively, over 41% and 236 kg m−3. The ash content of 76.7% of the waste was under 2.0%. If the 24 evaluated industries performed the thermochemical conversion of their wood waste, it would be possible to supply electricity to approximately 63 houses with average consumption of 162 kWh/month. The effective management of the waste will result in its commercial appreciation and increase its energy potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the remarkable growth of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy technology in Brazil, which stands out among the leading countries in photovoltaic installations. The recent implementation of Law 14300 on grid-connected PV systems has caused a stir in the Brazilian market, with investors anticipating installations to avoid reductions in benefits. This phenomenon, previously observed in Europe, instigates an understanding of the variables underlying the exponential growth of the Brazilian market. This study seeks to identify the predictors that explain the PV systems diffusion in Brazil, in two stages: a systematic review of the literature to map approaches and methods, followed by the construction of a database and the application of predictive models. The literature revealed 24 methods in six approaches, with 44 predictors. For Brazil, the database contains 90,129 instances, 22 predictors, and covers all 5570 municipalities. The results highlight the crucial importance of the electricity tariff as the main predictor, followed by irradiation and municipal Gross Domestic Product. Predictors such as the number of companies, minimum wage, HDI education, demographic density, and vehicle fleet prove to be relevant. In conclusion, the spatially explicit analysis highlights the complexity of the market, offering valuable implications for energy planners and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the "Belt and Road" and "Going Global" policies, a growing number of Chinese power companies are expanding overseas, implementing global development strategies, and making investments in the overseas power industry. Several countries are undergoing an energy transition because of the rapid development of the world economy. This is being done to address the climate change issues that are a result of the overuse of fossil fuels. Brazil is also accelerating its pace of power transformation in its position as a major power generating country in Latin America. In addition to being the largest economy in South America, Brazil is also the country in which China has made the most investments. Additionally, Brazil is increasing its development efforts in wind power, photovoltaics, and other renewable energy sources in response to a large demand for renewable energy sources. Brazil's renewable energy sector offers a great deal of potential for investment based on solid foundations for cooperation between China and Brazil. The Grey Prediction Model was used for this research to forecast Brazil's renewable energy generation installed capacity, and the results show a positive trend in Brazil's renewable energy generation. There is a rapid growth in wind and photovoltaic power generation over the next 5 years, with growth rates reaching 50.39% and 182.99%, respectively, suggesting that there is potential for a broad range of development. Following this, the research applies factor analysis to assess investment risks associated with Brazil's renewable energy sector from 2000 to 2020. Based on the results of the study, Chinese power companies investing in Brazil's renewable energy sector face the greatest political risk, while other risks gradually decrease. To avoid political risks when investing, companies should place a high priority on preventing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries all over the world have been seeking ways and methods so that their electrical matrices can stand out using clean and renewable energy sources. In this context, this article presents a review with analysis of sector legislation on photovoltaic solar energy in Brazil. This study was grounded in four steps: (i) sample definition; (ii) theoretical basis; (iii) network analysis; and (iv) content analysis in two stages of research. Initially, a systematic literature review was carried out in order to map all the major and most cited works. The second stage consisted in reading and performing a critical analysis of government documents and reports from the energy sector in Brazil using a few bibliometric resources for such a purpose. Its results reveal that photovoltaic solar energy in Brazil has grown and expanded to different applications, since floating solar plants and subscription to solar energy are becoming increasingly attractive. Furthermore, a possible replacement of photovoltaic solar generation for thermoelectric plants has been investigated once there are a few positive aspects yet to be found thereof. As samples of the results obtained, we have that the replacement of works would allow the photovoltaic solar energy source to increase by 1% in the electrical matrix and would stop emitting 10,738,478 tons into the atmosphere, there would be a progressive decrease in the use of tariff flags (which affect directly to the final consumer) and a reduction in operating costs would also be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]