Energy Efficiency in Brazil: Policies, Motivators, Barriers

Abstract

This paper discusses energy efficiency in thermal processes of chicken slaughterhouses in Brazil, as they are large consumers of electricity and have few indicators to system monitoring. The article reviews energy efficiency in Brazil’s industry, global policies, motivations and barriers to the adoption of an energy management system in the refrigeration circuit. The government lack of regulations towards the development of energy efficiency in the industry, also, that is not the concern of industries managers. That industry is losing competitiveness, as well, the country has an energy inefficient industry. This work compares the production indicator commonly monitored by the chicken slaughterhouses: the Unit Cost which indicates that a slaughterhouse consumes 218.33% of energy in relation to another chicken slaughterhouse. It represents the energy consumed per kilogram of chicken processed, thus the second slaughterhouse uses more than the double of energy to produce the same amount of product. Thus, the disclosure of information for energy efficiency comparison may help the national industry to become more efficient and competitive.