Abstract
The opportunity for renewable energy production in developing countries is a theme of high relevance within the context of climate change. In this paper we explore the production of electricity in Brazil and investigate the potential for sustainable biomass energy production. This is explored in a GIS system (1) establishing the demand centers or regions (energy demand factor), (2) checking if they can be served by existing capacity and transmission (transmission lines factor), (3) deciding on new generation and whether it will an island or the main grid connection (power plants factor), (4) locating the power plant subject to the potential biomass supply accepting the environmental constraints (land use and environmental preservation factors). Results show that even though large areas have a potential for biomass energy production, the lack of investments in technological improvements and changes in the system status quo result in a system that does not progress towards of becoming a cleaner, safer and less dependent on climatic factors. We conclude that biomass has the potential to grow as a source of renewable and clean energy. This potential can be explored by conserving respecting the environment and encouraging the creation of decentralized systems, thereby making Brazil a key player in the climate change targets in the coming years.
Highlights
Satisfying the demand for energy supply is a persistent issue in the world today
In this paper we explore the production of electricity in Brazil and investigate the potential for sustainable biomass energy production
Results show that even though large areas have a potential for biomass energy production, the lack of investments in technological improvements and changes in the system status quo result in a system that does not progress towards of becoming a cleaner, safer and less dependent on climatic factors
Summary
Satisfying the demand for energy supply is a persistent issue in the world today. To meet the requirements of a growing population, this demand will continue to increase in the coming years (IPCC 2007). In the second half of the 20th century, a number of research has pointed to the endangerment of the life on earth due to the effects of the climate change (Socolow et al 2004; IPCC 2007; Kates 2010; IPCC 2011; Abramovay 2014). This is a direct consequence of the higher concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mostly CO2 originating from fossil fuels. An important step to reduce the effects of greenhouse gases is to change the way in which energy is generated, focusing on a planned, intelligent, and efficient chain of power production
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