Multicriteria environmental analysis for choosing alternative sources of electricity in isolated areas: the case of the Pantanal, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACTUniversal access to electricity in isolated areas is a social imperative and a substantial challenge for service providers. One such area is the Pantanal, which is one of the world’s largest wetlands and located in the central-west region of Brazil. The energy supply to this region is complex not only due to technical aspects but also, and primarily, because of environmental issues such as large areas under environmental preservation and seasonal flooding. To incorporate environmental feasibility into decision-making for the electricity supply to remote areas, a survey of the environmental aspects of several supply alternatives was performed. Solar, wind and fossil-fuel power generation sources and the expansion of the conventional power grid were considered. Using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), these alternatives were scaled, scored and weighted to develop socioenvironmental indices, which express the socioenvironmental impact of the supply alternatives in the affected areas. The results, presented in the form of georeferenced maps, are essential for identifying and measuring the existence and scope of impact of the supply alternatives and represent an important support source for decision-makers.