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The emerging energy transition is particularly described as a move towards a cleaner, lower-carbon system. In the context of the global shift towards sustainable energy sources, this paper reviews the potential and roadmap for hydrogen energy as a crucial component of the clean energy landscape. The primary objective is to present a comprehensive literature overview, illuminating key themes, trends, and research gaps in the scientific discourse concerning hydrogen production and energy policy. This review focuses particularly on specified geographic contexts, with an emphasis on understanding the unique energy policies related to renewable energy in Brazil, Austria, and Germany. Given their distinct social systems and developmental stages, this paper aims to delineate the nuanced approaches these countries adopt in their pursuit of renewable energy and the integration of hydrogen within their energy frameworks. Brazil exhibits vast renewable energy potential, particularly in wind and solar energy sectors, positioning itself for substantial growth in the coming years. Germany showcases a regulatory framework that promotes innovation and technological expansion, reflecting its highly developed social system and commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels. Austria demonstrates dedication to decarbonization, particularly through the exploration of biomethane for residential heating and cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Energy consumption and renewable energy sources are included in the goals for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) agenda, and target buildings are the biggest electricity consumers. In turn, Netzero energy buildings (NZEB) contribute to achieve SDG7 goals. This paper aims to identify which Brazilian higher education institutions (HEIs) practices contribute to developing the NZEB concept. Design/methodology/approach: Case studies were selected to identify which implanted practices applied by HEIs in Brazil, listed in the UI GreenMetric 2020 Ranking, are related to the NZEB concept. The implemented sustainable practices were also analyzed to evaluate the connections and impact between universities and the local community. Findings: Results show the lighting and air conditioning retrofit were among the most common practices related to energy efficiency to reduce consumption. For renewable energy generation, photovoltaic solar energy is the most common practice used by HEIs. Research limitations/implications: Only Brazilian HEIs listed in the UI Green Metric Ranking were analyzed. No standard regulation or formal reports support the wide dissemination of the strategies adopted by HEIs in Brazil. Practical implications: The strategies adopted by HEIs related to Netzero buildings can reduce emissions, optimize operating costs and improve building comfort conditions, which connect all SDGs. Social implications: HEIs can promote awareness related to energy use and clean energy generation within the local community. Originality/value: This paper presents the most common strategies adopted by Brazilian HEIs. However, limitations related to lack of strategies, data transparency and specific Netzero energy regulation were also found. These issues can hinder other HEIs to adopt similar strategies and contribute to the promotion of SDG7 in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is moving towards a low-carbon economy through renewable energy sources. In this context, concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies can exploit the rich solar resource in Brazil, diversifying the national electricity mix. The aim of this paper is to support the insertion of CSP generation in the Brazilian bottom-up model MATRIZ by analyzing the environmental performance of three CSP technologies: (i) solar tower power (STP) with a thermal storage system (TSS) of 7.5 h; (ii) solar thermal parabolic trough (STPT) with a TSS of 6 h; and (iii) STPT without TSS. From a life cycle perspective, their freshwater consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are addressed by employing the software SimaPro, the Ecoinvent database, and the ReCiPe 2016 method, as well as information from the system advisory model (SAM) and the literature. As a result, STP is the most environmentally sound CSP alternative, presenting lower GHG emissions and water consumption than the two STPT technologies. In general, CSP generation proves to be more environmentally attractive than some fossil-fired power plants and renewable energy sources. Moreover, moving the manufacturing of CSP technologies to Brazil has the potential to reduce GHG emissions from the upstream processes of their value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emerging consciousness of climate change and focus on climate-resilient growth across all developing nations, Brazil has proved to be a benchmark for the energy transition to an environmentally sustainable energy system. All the developing countries are heading towards decarbonised growth using alternative sources of energy. As a result, the paper explores the causal relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in the case of Brazil, using the data for the last 12 years. The Granger causality test is performed to comprehend the relationship between the three crucial indicators of the newly emerging growth models. The paper examines the interdependence of renewable energy and economic growth using the Granger causality test to estimate two-way dependence in BRICS countries. The paper exhibits the evidence of one-sided long-run causality between the use of renewable energy and per capita GDP, concluding that the deployment of renewable energy Granger causes per capita GDP growth. The results of Granger causality and correlations further provide an adequate rationale for the state to invest in renewable energy technologies and innovations. In this backdrop, the paper attempts to analyse India's green growth compared to Brazil in the last 15 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage systems—in particular, Pumped Hydropower Storage (PHS)—will be increasingly important to support the transition of power systems toward zero emissions. The reason is that PHS can mitigate the variability and uncertainty of renewable energy production from solar and wind power to balance electricity demand with supply. In this paper, we propose an integer programming problem for PHS siting that uses a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to meet an energy storage requirement. It assumes the existence of a reservoir, lake, or river, and decides where to build a reservoir that will constitute the PHS with the existing body of water. This model finds minimum‐cost project candidates given parameters such as desired head, power, and operation time. The paper discusses different solution methods to assure reservoir closure and avoid its fragmentation. A heuristic explores the representations of the DEM, from more aggregate to more precise, to sequentially refine the solution based on the last selected site, which reduces computational effort. The formulation is general and the objective function includes both construction and equipment costs. Constraints are related to the energy storage target and reservoir closure based on the DEM. We illustrate the methodology by selecting multiple PHS projects next to the reservoir of the Sobradinho hydropower plant in Brazil. The result of this model can be seen as a bottom‐up step that prepares PHS candidate projects to be considered by an integrated resource planning model in a top‐down step, that would select from these shortlisted projects. Key Points: An integer programming model with an objective function based on costs is proposed to select pumped‐hydro storage sitesTwo heuristics are used to speed up the solution processes. The case study shows the benefit of these heuristicsAn application selects PHS projects next to the reservoir of the Sobradinho hydropower plant in Brazil varying head and operation time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conjuntura Austral is the property of Conjuntura Austral and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The use of renewable energy, notably solar and wind energy, has grown exponentially in Brazil. Consumers can generate their energy using renewable sources, whether interconnected to the distribution system (on-grid) or not (off-grid). In this paper, a fuzzy method is developed for the recommendation of solar and wind sources, for any location in the Brazilian territory. In many aspects, it can be viewed as a representation of human decision-making using sets and inference rules and also can be with vagueness and uncertainty, being very useful to idealize recommendation systems. Georeferenced and historical data were obtained from 2003 to 2019 on solar irradiation and wind speed, and electricity consumption until 2021. With the energy generation data from photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, this method allows us to propose installed areas by each technology and obtain the membership of fuzzy recommendation between solar, wind, both solar and wind, unfeasible or hybrid. In addition, a long short-term memory neural network and the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model were used to predict consumption for more than 30 months ahead, allowing the recalculation of fuzzy memberships and updating the installation area by respective technologies. As a result, the recommendation is given as the installed area (m2) of each technology per km2 of consumer units, as a function of the regional consumption density (MWh/km2). It can be concluded that it is possible to plan the viability of the type of renewable energy used, according to regional characteristics for smaller consumer units (farms, cooperatives, industries, consortiums), given the diversity of these factors in the huge Brazilian territory. This methodology is in line with the Brazilian Normative Resolution that authorizes the generation of energy by landowners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effects of economic growth and four different types of energy consumption (oil, natural gas, hydroelectricity, and renewable energy) on environmental quality in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were examined within the framework of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for three Latin American countries, namely, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, from 1975 to 2018. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) in the form of Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) was used to verify the validity of the EKC hypothesis and the impacts of the variables in the short and the long run alike. Furthermore, the Toda-Yamamoto Granger causality test was carried out to identify the direction of causality between the variables. From ARDL-ECM estimation, the EKC was confirmed (inverted U-shaped curve between income growth and CO2 emissions) only in Argentina in the long run but not in Brazil and Chile. Based on the findings, renewable energy can have a great potential in reducing CO2 emissions in the future, but this advantage has not been fully exploited yet since a significant negative impact on CO2 emissions was only found in Chile. Also, the use of other less carbon-intensive energy sources such as natural gas and hydropower if they could be combined with renewable energy would be of great benefit and contribute to enhancing environmental quality and energy security in the short and the medium term and to successful low-carbon energy transition in the long run in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper aims: The research aims to identify the main barriers to scaling up the energy production expansion systems from biogas and biomass in Brazil. Originality: This article aggregates information and different perceptions from a systemic view for bioelectricity production from biomass. It brings to the fore the discussion of bioenergy production from other types of biomass, which encompass a wide range of actors in the production chain. Research method: We adopted a qualitative approach by applying semi-structured interviews with 19 experts from 15 institutions considering various biomass and biogas power generation segments. Main findings: This paper identifies five barrier categories that restrain or affect the country's broad electricity production from biomass and biogas: circumstantial, cultural, technical, and include other uses of biogas and biomethane. The financial and cultural barriers are the most mentioned by the experts. Financial difficulties of the plants, sector conservatism, issues in the electricity sector, and lack of knowledge limit the potential and interest in developing new projects. Implications for theory and practice: The results contribute to the development of sectoral public policies as it brings up non-explicit information and reveals broad perspectives aimed at integrating the themes of biogas and biomass. Also, the research adds to the debate on the analysis boundaries of this theme and can support future empirical studies in developing countries that seek to expand renewable sources to power generation from biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power system long-term expansion planning is a computer-intensive problem as demands a varied set of studies especially considering the increasing deployment of intermittent renewables. In the case of the Brazilian power sector planning, the responsible institutions mostly use proprietary software. This paper presents the multiyear two-stage academic generation and transmission expansion planning software, called CARTHER, developed by the authors in order to provide the academy an open-source and non-commercial software, with a friendly interface and with several applications for expansion planning of hydrothermal systems with high intermittent renewables penetration. CARTHER is then calibrated for a case study in the Brazilian power sector, considering the most recent governmental goals for renewable energies for the horizons of 2030, 2040, 2050 and 2060. The results demonstrate the functionality and the qualitative capacity of CARTHER optimization under the expansion's criteria of flexibility and reliability in the face of the intermittent renewables penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar irradiance forecasting has been an essential topic in renewable energy generation. Forecasting is an important task because it can improve the planning and operation of photovoltaic systems, resulting in economic advantages. Traditionally, single models are employed in this task. However, issues regarding the selection of an inappropriate model, misspecification, or the presence of random fluctuations in the solar irradiance series can result in this approach underperforming. This paper proposes a heterogeneous ensemble dynamic selection model, named HetDS, to forecast solar irradiance. For each unseen test pattern, HetDS chooses the most suitable forecasting model based on a pool of seven well-known literature methods: ARIMA, support vector regression (SVR), multilayer perceptron neural network (MLP), extreme learning machine (ELM), deep belief network (DBN), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting (GB). The experimental evaluation was performed with four data sets of hourly solar irradiance measurements in Brazil. The proposed model attained an overall accuracy that is superior to the single models in terms of five well-known error metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Brazilian 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contribution proposes a reduction of 43% in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to its 2005 emissions. In terms of the contribution of the Brazilian electrical sector to achieve this target, it commits to increase the use of renewable energy sources, other than hydroelectricity, and an efficiency gain of 10% by 2030. Considering these targets, this paper estimates the economic and CO emissions effects of such propositions using input-output analysis. The estimates are based on eight different future electricity matrices scenarios (2030 and 2050) developed by specialists within the Energy Scenarios Platform. On the one hand, achieving cleaner electrical production requires large investments. On the other hand, a reorganization of the sector leading to increased use of renewable energy sources produces GDP and employment growth. The results show that the net effects are positive in the medium and long run. Brazilian GDP growth may range from 0.61 to 1.24% per year by 2030 and from 0.66 to 1.26% per year by 2050, and total labor demand may reach 630 thousand new employees in 2030 and 685 thousand jobs in 2050. Regarding the reduction of CO $$_2$$ emissions, a maximum saving of 4 million tons by 2030 and 1 million tons by 2050 is expected. Therefore, according to the scenarios analyzed, although investing in renewable electrical sources demands more investment, their operational costs are lower, such that the extra expending is more than offset. Hence, the economic benefits from such changes more than compensate the costs of investing in such efforts. [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]

Hydroelectric power plants have been losing competitiveness to renewable resources in Brazil, specifically wind and solar power resources, given the current water crisis in the country, which has left main reservoirs in the Brazilian hydroelectric power system depleted. However, other renewable energy resources show disadvantages in terms of intermittence and energy storage. Pumped Hydropower Storage (PHS) can help mitigate this problem, supplying energy with fewer variations. This paper studied using PHS concepts together with solar and/or wind renewable resources to recover water levels at the Furnas reservoir in terms of energy and economic performance. The energy studies were developed by sizing the PHS and identifying solar and wind resource potential for supplying energy for pumps in the hydropower plant. The economic analyses considered three different scenarios (I; II and III), and used the NPV (Net Present Value), and LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity) methods for a period of 30 years. Energy calculations showed that 1692 MWh/day of energy could be generated using PHS. However, 2729 MWh/day of energy would be needed to store generated energy, and a 1037 MWh negative energy balance will be compensated for by using daily wind and/or solar photovoltaic power production. This would allow the Furnas reservoir to regain 0.45 m of its water level per year. The economic studies showed economic viability for PHS scenarios I and III, with estimated NPV at 151.5 million dollars, and 64.5 million dollars for the last year of the project, respectively. Scenario II was unviable, giving rise to several strong discussions on this application within Brazil. • Wind and solar sources were considered for the pump energy supply. • The proposed system can recover 0.45 m/year of the level in the Furnas reservoir. • The energy production of the reversible power plant was estimated as 1,692MWh/day. • Economic feasibility was evaluated in many scenarios using NPV and LCOEmethods. • Market regulation is required for the diffusion of this technology in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to use quantitative metrics to chart the unique history leading to Brazil’s leadership in renewable energy and identifies a set of meta-scenarios that define possible future carbon performance. These meta-scenarios provide a context for discussing specific energy policy implications both at the national scale and from the perspective of Brazil’s urban centres.Design/methodology/approach The paper defines and uses three metrics – energy efficiency, decarbonisation and carbon efficiency – to plot both Brazil’s historic energy pathway and a set of future energy scenarios put forth by various national and international energy agencies. The authors then use a meta-scenario approach to group these alternate pathways, identifying specific policy levers associated with the realisation of each.Findings The authors identify plausible policy changes that will help move Brazil off a current trajectory of stagnated energy performance to a “greener” scenario in which carbon efficiency improves even as Brazil’s economic growth continues. Such policies include energy efficiency programmes and continued expansion of the country’s already extensive hydropower and biomass capacity. Adoption of policies that would put Brazil on a more aggressive path towards a global sustainability scenario currently seems impractical.Originality/value This paper brings a standardized set of metrics to bear on Brazil’s unique energy history, which in turn helps identify specific policy impacts for continued GHG reduction in Brazil’s future from national and urban perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investments in renewable energy sources are increasing in several countries, especially in wind energy, as a response to global climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation. Thus, it is important to evaluate the Regional Climate Models that simulate wind speed and wind power density in promising areas for this type of energy generation with the least uncertainty in recent past, which is essential for the implementation of wind farms. Therefore, this research aims to calculate the wind power density from Regional Climate Models in areas at Northeast of Brazil from 1986 to 2005. Initially, the ECMWF-ERA5 reanalysis data was validated against observed data obtained from Xavier. The results were satisfactory, showing a strong correlation in areas of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte (except during the SON season), and some differences in relation to the wind intensity registered by observed data, particularly during the JJA season. Then, the Regional Climate Models RegCM4.7, RCA4 and Remo2009 were validated against the ECMWF-ERA5 reanalysis data, with all models successfully representing the wind speed pattern, especially from December to May. Four specific areas in Northeast of Brazil were selected for further study. In these areas, the RCMs simulations were evaluated to identify the RCM with the best statistical indices and consequently the lowest associated uncertainty for each area. The selected RCMs were: RegCM4.7_HadGEM2 (northern coastal of Ceará and northern coastal of Rio Grande do Norte) and RCA4_Miroc (Borborema and Central Bahia). Finally, the wind power density was calculated from the selected RCM for each area. The northern regions of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará exhibited the highest wind power density. [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]

Brazil has great potential for diversification and decarbonization of its energy matrix, with the insertion of a clean and renewable energy source such as hydrogen. This paper seeks to evaluate the surplus energy potential of solar and nuclear plants installed in the country for the production of green and purple hydrogen using high and low temperature electrolysis methods. Based on official reports and databases of energy production and demand, the results indicated that the total potential of surplus solar energy is equal to 4.29E+07 (kWh.d−1). Further, the total potential of electricity production from the hydrogen obtained through surplus solar energy was equivalent to1.87E+07 (kWh.d−1); and the total cost of producing solar hydrogen is equal to 1.07E+03 (USD.kWh−1). In conclusion, the study contributed to demonstrate the pathways to the establishment of strategies that assist the transition to a hydrogen economy in Brazil. [Display omitted] • Surplus energy potential of solar and nuclear plants for green and purple hydrogen production. • Potential of surplus solar energy is equal to 4.29E+07 kWh.d−1. • Electricity production equal to.87E+07 kWh.d−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper measures the economic impacts of Brazil's climate mitigation strategies contained in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). To do so, we employ the computable general equilibrium MIT Economic Projection and Policy Analysis model and simulate alternative carbon pricing scenarios (sectoral versus economy-wide carbon markets), set to achieve the country's overall emissions targets announced under the Paris Agreement. The results show relatively cheap emissions reductions from land-use changes and agriculture in the short run: the cost of the Brazilian NDC is predicted to be only 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2030. Further efforts to reduce carbon emissions beyond 2030 would require policy changes, since all the potential emissions reductions from deforestation would be finished and the capacity to expand renewable energy sources would be constrained. In this case, an economy-wide carbon pricing system would help substantially to avoid higher compliance costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Alternative sources of electricity have been growing recently despite their intermittence, which makes it impossible for these sources to guarantee constant and uninterrupted supply of electricity. Energy storage systems, such as pumped‐storage (PS) power plants, can help to mitigate the intermittence of these sources. In Brazil, intense growth of intermittent sources has led the generation sector to high exposure to the spot market. Thus, Brazilian electricity sector has recently turned its attention to energy storage methods as a way of diminishing such exposure. However, Brazilian electricity‐sector regulatory framework is not prepared for energy storage systems remuneration. This paper proposes a regulatory framework to insert hybrid electric generation units composed of PS and intermittent sources in Brazilian energy market. A linear optimization model exemplifies the operation of such system by minimizing costs for 1 day. The model was tested in three different scenarios, allowing comparison of operational costs and other aspects of the operation. The results demonstrate how a PS can help covering peak demand by storing energy to be used at moments when generation from intermittent sources is not sufficient. In the proposed regulatory framework for hybrid plants, expenses with spot market purchases can be diminished either by completely avoiding it or by purchasing only during lower demand level periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economía Coyuntural, Revista de Temas de Coyuntura y Perspectivas is the property of Instituto de Investigaciones Economicas y Sociales Jose Ortiz Mercado (IIES-JOM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brazil is a case of the achievement of a high share of wind energy integration to an interconnected power system in an emerging market. A series of successful energy supply programmes and a strong renewable-oriented finance framework implemented since 2002, have promoted alternative renewables – wind installed capacity increased over 22-fold from 927 MW in 2011 to 21 GW in 2022, reaching 11.77% of total procured power. From this, about 90% are concentrated in Brazil's least developed region, the Northeast, where wind investment should create jobs and propel socioeconomic development. Despite that, there is no studies specific assessing the regional and economy-wide effects of those programmes, gap that this paper aims to fill by applying the regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model TERM-BR10. We assess that by modelling an alternative scenario for the period 2010-19 based on an official electricity matrix built in 2010, that projected 3.4 additional GW of wind power while not considering all the success of renewable policies, against the observed installed capacity expansion, where wind power was 3.7 times higher than what had been planned. Our results show that in the absence of renewable policies, Brazil would have faced economic losses such as GDP (−0.27%) and investment (−4.76%). The Northeast region would have been the most impacted in terms of GDP (−1.3%), real wage (−2.99%) and employment creation (−0.1%). We propose that such socioeconomic co-benefits are incorporated in energy planning, which could promote regional equality through renewable energy expansion. • Wind power capacity increased over 20-fold from 2011 to 2022. • 90% are in the poorest region where policies propel development and job creation. • Policy absence would entail a GDP loss of 0.27% nationally and of 1.3% in the region. • Negative impacts to labour market are mostly over skilled jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the extent to which green energy vectoring renewable energy and nuclear energy moderates the effects of natural resource dependence and digitalization on environmental sustainability (measured by carbon emissions per capita and ecological footprint) in selected emerging seven (E7) countries. The study considers the intervening roles of financial development, economic growth, and population growth from 1996 to 2019. The verification of the empirical hypotheses anchors on advanced estimating techniques comprising cross-sectional dependence autoregressive distributed lag and augmented mean group. Results reveal that natural resource dependence and financial development hinder the attainment of environmental sustainability by inducing significant rise in carbon emissions per capita and ecological footprint. Conversely, digitalization promotes the strides toward environmental sustainability by significantly mitigating the surge in both pollutants. The direct and indirect effects of green energy are observed to sufficiently promote environmental sustainability. Moreover, while economic growth in the selected economies displays a significant level of support for sustainability targets, population growth portrays otherwise. Besides, the country-level analyses anchored on Fully Modified OLS show that natural resource dependence significantly hinders sustainability targets in Russia alone. More so, the existence of EKC finds support in Brazil and Mexico. Policy insights emanate from the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Currently, governments and companies aim their concern about the environmental problems and energy security. Within this context, the use of renewable hydrogen is presented as an interesting option. This paper presents the alternative to use a renewable resource abundant in the country: hydroelectricity. The public transport service in the urban area of Foz do Iguaçu city, Brazil, was chosen as the scenario where a simulated replacement of the current diesel bus fleet with fuel cell buses was performed. The focus was to take advantage of the energy called Spilled Turbinable Energy (STE) verified by the ITAIPU Hydroelectric Power Plant from 2001 to 2006 in order to produce hydrogen by water electrolysis process. The paper does not contain thermodynamic analysis of the processes involved in the proposal. Based on the monthly average, the maximum value was 1,054,899 MWh and the minimum 9559 MWh. Evaluating the historic behavior of this potential energy in the considered period, from October to June, it was found that the energy demand to produce the electrolytic hydrogen needed to meet the whole demand of the public transport sector of Foz do Iguaçu city, estimated in 14,454.3 MWh/month, amounts only between 1.5% to 8.5% of total spilled energy. This study presents two electrolytic hydrogen production models: the centralized and the decentralized associated with various distribution modes. The comparison between models shows that the centralized hydrogen production associated with central supply mode are economically more convenient for the city, and the hydrogen cost achieved was US$ 2.38/kg in contrast with the decentralized model associated with cryogenic liquid delivery which showed the highest cost, equal to US$ 4.61/kg. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed varying four parameters: equipment cost; rate of return; capital recovery time and electricity cost. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is assumed to be an important instrument to support decision-making in Brazil. Although not mandatory, nearly 35 SEAs, of which one third are devoted to energy plans and programmes (oil, gas, hydroelectricity and biofuel), have been prepared over the past 15 years in Brazil. The effectiveness of SEA, however, has not been studied in detail. This paper reports on the application of a procedural effectiveness analysis to 9 SEAs prepared for energy planning in Brazil, of which 5 deal with renewable energy plans and programmes. The results indicate no significant difference between renewable and non-renewable energy in terms of procedural effectiveness, with adequate performance in screening, baseline and description of mitigation actions, but serious deficiencies in the definition of SEA objectives, identification of strategic alternatives, description of public participation and follow-up strategies. The variability in the performance to each effectiveness criteria is taken as evidence that Brazil has not achieved consistency in SEA procedures, reinforcing the need for improvements in the current system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses Brazil's experience with biofuels, focusing on the central role of the federal government as the main force driving the implementation of alternative locally produced ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and biodiesel. The pioneering, large scale ethanol programme that started over 30 years ago can be considered the most successful experience with the use of biofuels to date, as the government was able to rapidly implement the use of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) as a substitute for petrol in the 1970s and 1980s. The work contributes to the general discussion of sustainable and renewable energy sources and sets out the key policy mechanisms used. The paper also innovatively looks at the second large governmental intervention in the renewable fuels market – the biodiesel programme. In addition to the contribution to the debate surrounding command-and-control measures and economic incentive instruments, the paper analyses how lessons learned from the ethanol experiment were taken into consideration in the design and implementation of the biodiesel mandate, including social and environmental facets. It emphasizes the uniqueness of producing sugarcane ethanol in the Brazilian context and how attempts to carry out similar fast growing biofuels programmes may not be possible in other parts of the world. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the genuine progress indicator (GPI) for the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, from 2002 to 2016 as an alternative indicator to the gross domestic product (GDP). Methodological approach was based on GPI 2.0 (Talberth in EE 142:1–11, 2017) with necessary adjustments due to geographical and biological specificities and currency conversions. For the calculations, primary and secondary data sources were consulted, both from public agencies and private institutions. Three main results were clearly observed: (1) the relation GPI/GDP fluctuated between 22 and 31% in the period 2002–2016; (2) even with a decline in Rio de Janeiro GDP from 2014 to 2016, due to Brazilian economic crisis, the GPI still increased in those years and (3) despite this continuous growth of GPI, its average yearly growth rate was 7,95%, while GDP, even with its 2014–2016 decrease, showed a higher average growth rate of 9,30% per year. Results also show that public policies in RJ should focus on jobs creation, investments in renewable energy and improving public transport, actions that are related to variables that, proportionally, most negatively affected the GPI. On the other hand, policies aiming to preserve vegetation cover should be intensified, since services of protected natural capital were the ones that contributed most positively to the indicator. This approach aims to increase GPI in the state and, consequently, improve the quality of life of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel dynamic pricing scheme for demand response with individualized tariffs by consumption profile, aiming to benefit both customers and utility. The proposed method is based on the genetic algorithm, and a novel operator called mutagenic agent is proposed to improve algorithm performance. The demand response model is set by using price elasticity theory, and simulations are conducted based on elasticity, demand, and photovoltaic generation data from Brazil. Results are evaluated considering the integration effects of renewable energy sources and compared with other two pricing strategies currently adopted by Brazilian utilities: flat tariff and time-of-use tariff. Simulation results show the proposed dynamic tariff brings benefits to both utilities and consumers. It reduces the peak load and average cost of electricity and increases utility profit and load factor without the undesirable rebound effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the main challenges for the development of the natural gas industry in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo; in so doing, the paper identifies the strategies that are currently employed by industry players to encourage the use of this resource and to thus diversify the state's energy matrix. For these purposes, the following methodology was adopted: (i) analyzing bibliographic references that address the issues of infrastructure industry, regulation and the natural gas industry in Brazil – including in the Brazilian states; and (ii) employing secondary data from governmental and regulatory institutions to demonstrate the evolution of this industry in recent years in Brazil and particularly in Espírito Santo. The study concludes that, although there are challenges in expanding the gas transportation (carrier) and distribution segments ("natural monopolies") and the formation of a "consumption-anchor" for natural gas, the present is the right time to use public policies to encourage the use of natural gas and renewable sources for technological, environmental and energy security reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, there has been a growing global consensus related to the importance of renewable energy to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases. The solution is an increase in the number of renewable power plants but unfortunately, this leads to a high dependence on climate variables which are already affected by climate change. Brazil is one of the largest producers of electricity by renewables through its hydro-dominant power generation system. However, hydro-generation depends on water inflows that are directly affected by climate change that consequently affect the electricity production. Therefore, these changes need to be considered in the operation and planning of a hydro-dominant power system. In this paper, we present the effects of different climate scenarios in the water inflows produced by the regional Eta climate model. Normally, studies use an optimization model to make decisions in case of a hydro-thermal scheduling problem and use the assured energy to evaluate the hydro-production. In this analysis, water inflows used in the optimization process consider different trends according to its associated climate scenario. Our paper shows that climate change may drastically impact the system assured energy and consequently, the system's capability to supply load. [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]

Concentrated in the northern region of Brazil, the country's 250 isolated systems represent around 1% of the national energy consumption and have been historically supplied by diesel power plants, an expensive solution that relies on complicated logistics and is responsible for high GHG emissions. Although many publications indicate that renewables are already a cost-effective solution, especially for economies dependent on expensive fuels, the conventional generation is still the main source of electricity on isolated systems, even in recent projects. This paper presents suggestions of public policies to stimulate the use of environmentally friendly energy sources at off-grid places in Brazil and discusses the probable reasons why this transition has not been driven yet, including barriers related to subsidies, energy tariffs and tax rules. To evaluate these policies, a multicriteria decision model was developed using the AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) methods, combined with fuzzy logic. Eighteen criteria were assessed, and ten specialists were interviewed. The study concluded that pilot projects of hybrid power plants, combining diesel engines and renewable technologies, would be the most effective policy. Other relevant policies pointed as relevant were the simplification of environmental licensing for projects based on renewables and the adoption of a more mandatory energy planning. • Diesel is the main source for electricity generation in Brazilian isolated systems. • Many studies suggest that renewables are already cost effective in these systems. • Six public policies are proposed to promote renewables in isolated systems. • An MCDM model (AHP-fuzzy-TOPSIS) is developed to evaluate the policies. • The policies are ranked according to their contribution to the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal energy is now clearly an important option for the Brazilian energy grid due to the demand for renewable energy sources. The northern and central regions of the Paraná Basin (Brazil) were identified as prospects for additional research into the region's geothermal energy potential in this context by prior geothermal studies. A thorough investigation based on geological, geophysical, and thermal data is necessary to identify regions with a high potential for geothermal energy. When used by various authors to execute these tasks, the Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach built on Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) has shown considerable promise. The weights of the following parameters-rock type, fault proximity, heat flow, magnetic anomaly, and gravimetric anomaly-were determined in this study using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach, which was incorporated into the MCDA. Five favorability maps were created using the data pertaining to these criteria after they had been processed, standardized, and classed. From "very low" to "very high" levels, there were five classes for each selected parameter. From them, we created a map of the geothermal potential based on the list of criteria and the weights assigned to each. In order to verify the findings, we compared the locations of hot springs and aquifers considered indicators of geothermal activity with those of the places with higher potential. Using only one data source, the results showed that four regions had a high index of geothermal favorability, one of which had been previously identified as promising. As a result, the first map produced in the research area using the MCDA-GIS technique is shown in this paper. The strategy proposes a novel way to direct future research to deepen and thoroughly explore these four promising areas. • Geothermal energy gains prominence in Brazil's energy matrices. • Northern & central Paraná Basin offer potential for geothermal energy research, based on prior studies. • MCDA-GIS approach with AHP method proves effective in mapping geothermal favorability. • Hot springs & aquifers compared with high-potential areas validate geothermal activity indicators. [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]

Tourism serves as a crucial means of funding national development and ensuring the sustainability of local livelihoods in growing countries such as Brazil. Nevertheless, the accelerated growth of tourism in various nations might lead to significant environmental consequences due to heightened energy consumption. This surge in energy usage contributes to the exacerbation of global warming through the amplified release of carbon dioxide (CO2). In light of the increasingly evident impacts of climate change on the natural environment, a multitude of endeavors have been undertaken with the aim of attaining ecological sustainability. The objective of this study is to examine the dynamic effects of economic growth, energy consumption, and tourism on carbon emissions in Brazil by analyzing time series data spanning from 1990 to 2019. The stationarity of data was assessed through the application of unit root tests, while an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach was employed to analyze the relationship between the components, accounting for both the long-term and short-term dynamics. The empirical results indicate that a 1% rise in economic growth, energy consumption, and tourist arrivals leads to environmental deterioration by causing a respective increase in CO2 emissions of 1.37%, 1.06%, and 0.57% in the near term, and 0.72%, 0.62%, and 0.16% in the long term. This article presents policy ideas aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in Brazil by increasing the utilization of renewable energy sources, while simultaneously fostering sustainable tourism as a means to enhance the country's economy. Highlights •This study investigated the tourism-economy-energy-environment nexus in Brazil. •The econometric analysis revealed that tourism, energy use, and economic growth increase CO2 emissions. •This article offers policy suggestions to achieve sustainable tourism and carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new Angle Difference Controller to adapt the power order of embedded HVDC links. • Simulations with the proposed ADC in the official Brazilian Power System model. • Performance comparison of the ADC implemented in LCC HVDC link and VSC HVDC link. • A tutorial example to make it clear the appearance of loop flows in AC-DC systems. This paper discusses the power flow control of embedded HVDC links in the Brazilian grid, with special attention to the requirements of intermittent energy sources where frequent load changes are needed, including power reversal, and automated action is called for. Recently two North-South bipoles, 4000 MW each, ±800 kV, have entered into service, these being embedded in the grid and with separate receiving end converter stations. In this case "reverse" power flow is foreseen, but only on a seasonal basis when water flow is low at the North region. The increasing capacity in wind and solar energy, especially in the Northeast region and the possibility of a new embedded HVDC link to carry the surplus power from this region, call for an adaptable power setpoint in the DC links in order to avoid adverse effects as loop flows and increased losses. The paper investigates the use of angle difference control and proposes a new controller to mitigate those adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a techno-economic evaluation of potential Greenfield projects of integrated first- and second-generation sugarcane biorefineries, in which ethanol is converted to bio-based propylene through metathesis of ethylene with 2-butene. Two scenarios were tested, considering improvements both in first- and second-generation ethanol production: with and without pentoses fermentation, which increases the amount of ethanol produced. The viability of the proposed propylene production facility was studied through Minimum Bio-Propylene Selling Price ( MBSP), and sensitivity and risk analysis were performed. Results show that, compared to the average propylene prices in recent years, the MBSP (based on the average estimates) would be no more than 85-90% higher than the price of the conventional fossil-fuel based product. In addition, three aspects were further assessed: (i) scaling of production plants, (ii) learning effects, and (iii) policies that would result lower capital costs. The results show that the cumulative effect would lead a substantial reduction of the MBSP, leading to a competitive price of 1347 US$/t. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• A technical and economic analysis of PV panels with and without a cooling system is presented. • Analysis of the cooling effects on the efficiency and durability of PV panels is performed. • A standard system has been designed to cool down the PV modules. • Efficiency and durability within a 25 years lifetime of a PV panel are predicted. • Initial investments on cooling down PV system are compensated over its lifetime. Photovoltaic (PV) panels can increase their efficiency and durability by using water-cooled systems. In this paper, the authors present a methodology to establish the degradation rate (DR) of PV panels related to their durability and efficiency under cooled versus no-cooled conditions. A long-term feasibility analysis of PV power plants with some suggested modifications are discussed in detail. A standard system was designed to cool down the PV modules. The simulations used with this purpose are based on several publications with relevant aspects carried out in the literature using Matlab-based modeling data. Such results were then confirmed by Homer program to predict the efficiency and durability of PV panels within a lifetime period of 25 years. To illustrate the methodology proposed here, the simulation parameters were used for the city of Santa Maria-RS, Brazil. The results allowed to conclude that cooling combined with heated water for domestic usage can decrease the PV degradation rate by 3% and provide an increased efficiency by almost 30% with respect to the PV panels without such cooling approaches. Therefore, the final results conclude that installation of water-cooled PV panels is an attractive and feasible option for a short- and long-term efficiency improvement with great impact on the expansion and durability of PV power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the local complementarity of three types of renewable sources (solar, wind and tidal). One of the main drawbacks of non-conventional renewable energy sources is their intermittent nature. Wind energy depends on the wind speed, which varies throughout the day. The generation of photovoltaic solar energy is strongly affected by clouds, that cause an abrupt drop of power to less than 50% of its rated capacity. In contrast, tidal energy is characterized by a high degree of predictability. This article raises important features of local complementarity of these renewable sources. These properties can be exploited to improve the firm power of isolated microgrids, leading to a variety of beneficial operational consequences. The contributions and conclusions presented here are supported by case studies and real data measured in the coastal region of northern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the COVID pandemic, oil and gas companies invested only a small fraction of their capital on sustainable energy technologies. With the substantial improvement in the performance of batteries and their rapid cost reduction, the oil and gas industry could potentially lose a large share of their market in the transport sector. A similar shift in energy sources is happening with the surge in renewable energy sources to supply electricity, heating and cooling. In an ever more sustainable future, the need for an oil and gas industry could reduce significantly. This paper reviews the possible paths that an oil and gas company could follow to become a sustainable development corporation and continue to be relevant in the future. This paper aims to describe alternative sustainable pathways such as the extraction of natural hydrogen, a hydrogen economy, offshore wind power, deep sea mining, biorefineries, seawater air-conditioning, geothermal and geoengineering. This paper also proposes the use of electrolysis ships for the flexible production of green hydrogen and showed that its investment cost can be three times smaller than in fixed electrolysis plants. The oil and gas industry has substantial intellectual, financial capital and geopolitical influence that would not be lost during a shift to a more sustainable world. Indeed, these assets should be used to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable future. • Hydrogen is a good alternative for sustainable development in O&G companies. • Natural hydrogen is a good alternative to the upstream O&G companies. • Benefits of electrolysis ships to produce green hydrogen. • Case study to produce green hydrogen in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable energy sources has become strategic in the production of electricity worldwide due to global efforts to increase energy efficiency and achieve a net zero carbon footprint. Hybrid systems can maximize stability and reduce costs by combining multiple energy sources. A conventional metric, such as the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), that is appropriate for assessing the cost-effectiveness of an option may not be appropriate when evaluating the economic feasibility of hybrid systems. This study proposes a stochastic discounted cash flow model (DCF) to assess the economic viability of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) in Brazil. The objective is to determine the combinations that will provide the highest 50th percentile internal rate of return (IRR) and the lowest coefficient of variation (CV). Model variables include capital expenditures (CAPEX), operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, sectoral charges, taxes, and long-term energy production metrics. The results demonstrate that the synergies modeled contributed to the higher economic outcomes for the HRES obtained by combining both energy sources rather than opting for a stand-alone configuration. A wind-dominant combination of 60% wind was able to increase the 50th percentile of the IRR, while a solar-dominant combination of 65% solar minimized the CV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, sugarcane biomass is generated in large amounts. Sugarcane bagasse and straw are considered as an important feedstock for renewable energy and biorefinery. This paper aims to study the generation of monosaccharides (C5 and C6) from sugarcane biomass via processing bagasse or straw and mixtures of both materials (bagasse:straw 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3). Samples were pretreated with sulfuric acid which resulted in approximately 90% of hemicellulose solubilization, corresponding to around 58 g L− 1 of xylose. Pretreated straw showed greater susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis in comparison to bagasse, as shown by glucose yields of 76% and 65%, respectively, whereas the mixtures showed intermediate yields. Thus, one strategy to balance sugarcane biomass availability and possibly increasing 2G ethanol production would be to use bagasse-straw mixtures in appropriate ratios according to market fluctuations. Untreated and pretreated samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, but there was no relationship to enzymatic hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]