Energy Consumption and Regional Development in the Matopiba Region Between 2000 and 2020

Abstract

The region called the acronym Matopiba is an area composed of part of the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piaui, and Bahia. Agricultural production in the region is marked by large harvests of grains, especially soybeans, corn, and cotton. Considering that electricity is a vital development infrastructure, the present study analyzed the electricity consumption in the Matopiba region located in the state of Piauí was related to the total GDP (GDP), agriculture GDP (AGDP), and human development index (HDI) between the years 2000 to 2020. The results showed that in 2000 there was a strong positive correlation between GDP and AGDP (0.92), a moderate positive correlation between GDP and energy consumption (0.60), as well as AGDP and electricity consumption (0.67). Results indicated a low negative correlation between the HDI and the other variables. In 2020, the results indicated a strong positive correlation between GDP and AGDP (0.83), and a high positive correlation between GDP and energy consumption (0.83), while AGDP showed a low positive correlation with the consumption of electricity (0.46). The HDI, on the other hand, showed a low negative correlation with AGDP and a low positive correlation with GDP. On the other hand, it showed a moderate positive correlation with electricity consumption. It was also verified that there was a substantial rise in the HDI in the municipalities studied between 2000 and 2020, an increase in the region’s GDP and AGDP, and electricity consumption in the period studied. Therefore, we concluded that the increase in the electricity consumed in the region in the last 20 years is a positive indicator of Matopiba’s regional development.