Polarization in the forest bioelectricity generation in Brazil

Abstract

The expansion of forest bioelectricity is associated with the insertion of the bioeconomy, providing efficiency gains and improving the use of resources. This paper analyzed the polarization of forest bioelectricity generation in Brazil, between 2000 and 2019. The data used were from the granting of forest biomass thermoelectric plants obtained from the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL). To measure the polarization, the Lorenz curve, the polarization measures of Foster and Wolfson (PFW) and Esteban and Ray (PER). were used. The main results showed that the use of Brazilian forest bioelectricity increased from 562.90 MW and 11 thermoelectric plants in 2000 to 3,532.61 MW and 115 thermoelectric plants in 2019. For the regional level, there was a decrease for PFW and PER, being the greater polarization in the period from 2002 to 2008, where it highlighted the Southeast region as the main player. There was an increase in state polarization (PFWavg. = 0.3002 and PER(1.6)avg. = 0.1530), as a result of the granting of large black liquor plants in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana, as of 2013. For level 2 sources, the domain of black liquor and forest residues was registered over the national supply, leading to the existence of hubs (PFWavg. = 0.5349 and PER(1.6)avg. = 0.1870). The polarization proved to be relevant to the object of study, being its unprecedented application for energy analysis in Brazil.