Brazilian Technology Research Articles

Sweet Fuel: A Political and Environmental History of Brazilian Ethanol

Sweet Fuel: A Political and Environmental History of Brazilian Ethanol

Waste-to-Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste: Global Scenario and Prospects of Mass Burning Technology in Brazil

Inadequate disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is one of the greatest environmental issues confronted nowadays. One of the techniques used for its final disposal is incineration, otherwise known as mass burning. Although this procedure remains very controversial in Brazil, some recent studies published in Europe reveal a large amount of misinformation about it. It has been widely used in European countries, Japan, and a few U.S. cities and has been increasingly and significantly adopted in China. Therefore, this article aims to carry out a literature review on the evolution of waste-to-energy recovery from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) worldwide and the progress of mass-burning technologies, particularly in the Brazilian context. For such a purpose, global scientific databases were selected and some of their results allowed us to present how the main WtE recovery technologies function, as well as their benefits and impacts. Moreover, it was possible to systematize the main regulatory frameworks on the theme in Brazil and to reveal the country’s electricity generation capacity, in addition to depicting the progress of Waste-to-Energy Plants (WtEPs) undergoing licensing processes in the state of São Paulo.

Scaling actors’ perspectives about innovation system functions: Diffusion of biogas in Brazil

Various technologies have been disseminated to digest organic waste, capture biogas and provide sustainable energy. Despite numerous efforts to diffuse biogas technology in Brazil, uptake remains slow. This may be due to low recognition among key actors that support the technology with resources in a wider Innovation System (IS). We explore how actors view the existence of this IS in Brazil and its fragmented context. To investigate actor views and perceptions, we employ a factor analysis and an item response model to map out system functionality. The analysis unveiled the existence of a non-balanced IS, awaiting to accelerate its expansion phase given current entrepreneurial activities, but remains impeded by limited resources and legitimacy. Actor responses indicate that for the expansion phase to accelerate, energy markets need to be established via state and federal support. These markets demand support from utility companies who influence the IS across multiple facets (e.g., public tender, tariffs, energy auctions). Ultimately, the expansion phase is hinged upon the creation of a national policy that includes short-term objectives for biogas shared between stakeholders and an outlined role for utility companies to integrate renewable energy sources.

Optimal Site Selection Using Geographical Information System (GIS) Based Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA): A Case Study To Concentrated Solar Power Plants (CSP) In Brazil

Optimal site selection using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is an important step to support decision makers to locate places that benefit the maximum potential of technology's preconditions. As a new, emerging and renewable technology in Brazil, concentrated solar power (CSP) plays an important role in power generation mix, and it’s crucial to indicate the viability of Brazilian regions to CSP power plants. To achieve this goal, a detailed workflow of multi-criteria analysis based on geographic information system (GIS based AHP) is set in free software, in which criteria are selected from literature, acquired as geospatial data, weighted with parity matrices through online questionnaires filled by experts, processed on QGIS with weighted linear combination (WLC), and the results validated by its AHP consistency, thematic accuracy and comparative analysis with VIKOR and TOPSIS methodologies. As a product, sites are mapped according to viability indices, with higher values in most of Northeast, Central-west and Southeast regions of Brazil, showing good stability by its validation. Thereby, the workflow with free software allows the methodology to be replicated to support decision makers in locating viable and restrictive places for technologies.

Why can't the alternative become mainstream? Unpacking the barriers and enablers of sustainable protein innovation in Brazil

Animal agriculture and the meat industry raise serious concerns regarding environmental, social, and animal welfare issues. The alternative protein industry has progressed globally, driven by circular economy practices, but the innovations in this industry need to be understood for further advances in circularization. This study examines the key enablers and barriers influencing alternative protein innovation in Brazil—a uniquely positioned country that can lead the global food transition towards alternative proteins. We conducted online semi-structured interviews with 18 experts from organizations operating in the alternative protein sector. The results show that tax incentives, access to funding, and opportunity costs are important external factors that drive alternative protein innovation. Culture, especially related to eating habits and preferences can be used strategically to increase alternative protein consumption in line with the transition to bioeconomy. Human capital, specifically technical and soft skills, matters only when there is access to (financial) resources. Social capital can overcome some barriers by sharing resources, improving partnerships to explore biodiversity, and expanding the entrepreneur network. Many of the barriers and enablers identified takes the form of a public problem, in which the organizations and stakeholders should develop a shared understanding about the most sensitive and urgent topics requiring action. We contribute to the literature on sustainable food systems and circular agri-food chains by providing insights into how to incentivize and streamline the consistent development of innovative products and technologies in Brazil by informing both overarching public policies and sector practices.

The STEM Wage Premium in the Main Brazilian Technology Clusters

This paper reports research results on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics – STEM – wage premium in 10 main Brazilian technologic clusters: Manaus, Ilhéus-Itabuna, Belo Horizonte, Pouso Alegre, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis, Campinas, São Carlos and São Paulo. The study adjusts the Oaxaca decomposition method – which allows using the workers’ occupation as a categorical variable – to estimate the median of the STEM wage premium in each of the clusters. The control variables are age, educational level, and experience, which are proxy variables for human capital. Inspection of data reveals that the STEM workforce is more educated and has more stability in the job. The statistical analysis suggests that the median of the STEM wage premium obtained by workers in the ten clusters is higher than observed in development countries. This may indicate that Brazilian STEM labor force should will is still grow to meet demand.

Perspectives for Expansion of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Generation Technologies in Brazil

The world is moving towards a low-carbon economy through renewable energy sources. In this context, concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies can exploit the rich solar resource in Brazil, diversifying the national electricity mix. The aim of this paper is to support the insertion of CSP generation in the Brazilian bottom-up model MATRIZ by analyzing the environmental performance of three CSP technologies: (i) solar tower power (STP) with a thermal storage system (TSS) of 7.5 h; (ii) solar thermal parabolic trough (STPT) with a TSS of 6 h; and (iii) STPT without TSS. From a life cycle perspective, their freshwater consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are addressed by employing the software SimaPro, the Ecoinvent database, and the ReCiPe 2016 method, as well as information from the system advisory model (SAM) and the literature. As a result, STP is the most environmentally sound CSP alternative, presenting lower GHG emissions and water consumption than the two STPT technologies. In general, CSP generation proves to be more environmentally attractive than some fossil-fired power plants and renewable energy sources. Moreover, moving the manufacturing of CSP technologies to Brazil has the potential to reduce GHG emissions from the upstream processes of their value chain.

Characterization of calcium bentonite to use as a natural barrier in a surface repository

The wide use of nuclear technology in Brazil generates radioactive waste that, in general, have low and medium levels of radiation. This requires efficient management to keep the environment, humans and future generations safe. CNEN coordinates the CENTENA project which will consist of the implementation of the first national repository that will be a definitive solution for the storage of radioactive waste. It will be surface and multiple barriers, and bentonite will possibly compose the natural barrier, since it has good sorption capacity for several radionuclides and low hydraulic conductivity. This paper describes the practical work that followed the clay characterization protocol for use in a surface repository with calcium bentonite and proposes a future study to characterize the mixture of soil and bentonite with the addition of 8% and 15% clay in the soil in order to investigate what will be the best feasible combination to maintain the safety and economic viability of the project. XRD results confirmed the presence of montmorillonite, particle size analysis identified that 40% of the measured sample had an average particle size between 8.0 and 10.0 µm, the global average bentonite moisture was 14%, the high specific surface area value 82.741m2/g, the particle density value was 2.5287 ± 0.0057 g/cm³ and the result of the cation exchange capacity by the methylene blue adsorption method was 750 ± 18.71 mmol.kg-1. All these results indicated that calcium bentonite is a good natural material to be used in the Brazilian repository.

Production and sectoral use of technology in Brazil

Production and sectoral use of technology in Brazil

Performance assessment of a soil and water bioengineering work on the basis of the flora development and its associated ecosystem processes

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil is one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots, but floodplains in this region are continuously converted into agricultural or urban areas, and riverine ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic interventions. Soil and water bioengineering techniques are a component of ecological engineering that can provide nature-based solutions as an alternative or as complementary measures to conventional hydraulic or civil engineering approaches. However, there is a lack of post-evaluation of interventions and there are still great difficulties in identifying valid evaluation criteria and measurement variables, especially in countries like Brazil where soil and water bioengineering measures have only been implemented in the last decade. Another limitation to the widespread application of the techniques is the lack of knowledge about their technical performance, their impact on ecological processes and the evolution of the species used. This study aims to investigate the development of species, evaluate the technical performance of the intervention and assess the ecological benefits and processes of one of the first soil and water bioengineering riparian restoration interventions in Brazil, which was carried out in 2010 on the Pardinho river. Parameters on bank stability, development of species used in different construction techniques and its ecological benefits and ecological processes (plant species and soil fauna richness and diversity, ecological group and recruitment species, invasive species, soil organic matter and soil temperature) were collected over a period of ten years. The study proved that soil and water bioengineering works can both stabilise and control erosion, and at the same time initiate ecological processes on degraded riverbanks. The active introduction of native species has promoted vegetation succession, increased the biodiversity of both plants and soil fauna on the site and improved the site conditions. The establishment of native vegetation led to sediment and organic material deposition, which changed the local ecological conditions (e.g., soil properties, light, flow conditions) and thus facilitated rapid establishment of other plants and re-established interactions between plants and soil fauna groups. This study provides a monitoring approach which examines the technical performance of the measures and species used, as well as their impact on the ecological process over time, which is essential for establishing soil and water bioengineering techniques as the standard in the field of river engineering in Brazil. Furthermore, the results obtained will help in planning and designing future works in the field of soil and water bioengineering in Brazil, adding to the knowledge of the techniques and species to be selected, as well as supporting the evaluation of the success of interventions.

SAÚDE MENTAL: transtornos em estudantes de engenharia

Mental health represents a fundamental condition for the future of university students. However, studies have pointed to a large increase in mental disorders among Brazilian engineering students. From this theme, this article aimed to analyze the development of anxiety and depression disorders among engineering students in Brazil, reasons that cause the course to drop out and the role of the university psychologist. This article deals with an exploratory bibliographic review research. This type of research aims to enable greater connection with the problem, with a view to making it more understanding. For the bibliographic review of this article, scientific articles found in the databases were used as Google Scholar, Scielo, SCOPUS and PsycInfo, with timeline between 1997 and 2021 aided by the keywords: anxiety, mental health, university, engineering. For the choice of articles, titles, conclusions and abstracts were initially read in advance. Then, the selected articles were read completely in the first stage, analyzing the quality of the journal, the publication period and the conclusions obtained according to the objectives of this article. Finally, this study revealed aspects related to anxiety and depression disorders among engineering students in Brazil, such as the impacts caused on academic performance and quality of life. Therefore, educational institutions need to present strategies for coping with this reality.

PLATAGAM: a videogame structured as a didactical material for divulgation of some of the benefits of the Gamma Radiation produced in the Cobalt-60 Multipurpose Irradiator at IPEN’s facilities

This paper aimed at the conception and implementation of a platform videogame designed to make known some of the benefits of the use of Gamma Radiation produced in the Cobalt-60 Multipurpose Irradiator, built with Brazilian technology at IPEN’s facilities. Unity 3D game engine and some other free softwares for image edition were used. Four missions await the player, illustrating the following benefits of gamma radiation irradiation: on foods and beverages to retard deterioration and interrupt microorganisms proliferation; on tilapias (a kind of fish), which skins are used in bandages for burns; on surgical materials as a sterilization procedure; and, finally, on museum items, for eradication of plagues on the collection. The authors hope that the offering of this didactic material will aid some effective Science Learning, mainly in Nuclear Technology.

Teaching Digital Electronics during the COVID-19 Pandemic via a Remote Lab.

Practical knowledge is essential for engineering education. With the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges have arisen for remote practical learning (e.g., collaborations/experimentations with real equipment when face-to-face offerings are not possible). In this context, LabEAD is a remote lab project that aims to provide practical knowledge learning opportunities for Brazilian engineering students. This article describes how engineering project management methods consisting of application domains, requirement identification, technical solution specification, implementation, and delivery phases, were applied to the development of an Internet of Things (IoT) remote lab architecture. The distributed computing environment allows integration between students’ smartphones and IoT devices deployed in campus labs and in student residences. The code is open-source for facilitated replication and reuse, and the remote lab was built in six months to enable six experiments for the digital electronics lab during the COVID-19 pandemic, covering all the experiments of the original face-to-face offering. More than 70% of the 32 students preferred remote labs over simulations, and only 2 were not approved in the digital electronics course offered remotely.Student perceptions collected by questionnaires showed that they could successfully specify, develop, and present their projects using the remote lab infrastructure in four weeks.

New challenges for women workers in Brazil facing the wave of Industry 4.0 technologies

ABSTRACT This paper aims to understand how women’s work tends to be particularly affected by the new wave of Industry 4.0 technologies in Brazil and how public policies could actuate to reduce work gender inequalities throughout this process. We examine the 20 largest occupations for women and cross-check with estimates of automation for the Brazilian labour market from previous studies. We also analyse the women’s insertion in professional fields that have great growth potential. Among the main occupations, we identify a dual trend with high automation chance for jobs that require low or no qualifications and are low paid, and low displacement probability for caring-related professions. Furthermore, even though in Brazil women have higher education levels than men, they are under-represented in STEM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) areas. We point out that the main challenges for Brazil include the lack of investment in innovation and that gender-aware policies should be designed to overcome structural barriers and guarantee an equal insertion of women and men. Paid parental leave, equal pay for equal work, and public health and education services are essential to overcome inequalities based on traditional gender roles. Unemployment insurance, financial support, and incentives for qualification and requalification, as well as gender parity in educational and research institutions, are key for women to have full involvement in this new digital economy.

Level of collaboration and knowledge transfer among actors of the innovation ecosystem: the proposition of an analytical model

Objective of the study: This study aimed to investigate how collaboration between actors in the innovation ecosystem is related to the transfer of knowledge between institutions.Methodology/Approach: The study units were the innovation hubs of the Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology in Brazil accredited by Embrapii. The methodological approach of the research was qualitative; the method employed was the multiple-case study; the data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews with representatives from academia, company, government, and society; and the results were obtained via content analysis.Originality/Relevance: Based on the findings of this research, it was possible to elaborate an analytical model to relate the level of collaboration and transfer of knowledge between agents of the innovation ecosystem.Main Results: The main results indicated that the collaboration between the actors was related to the transfer of knowledge through the creation and expansion of the established partnerships as well as the management of the facilitators and difficulty of this relationship.Theoretical/ Methodological Contributions: The theoretical contribution was the proposition of an integrated analytical model of collaborative relations and knowledge transfer between members of the innovation ecosystem.Management/Social Contributions: The managerial contribution of the study was the identification of key aspects to improve the collaborative relationship between the actors of the innovation and knowledge transfer ecosystem. The social contribution consists of the possibility of collaboration expansion and knowledge transfer by enhancing the facilitating factors and minimizing the difficulties identified in the researched innovation ecosystems.

Diffusion of technologies: a longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian agricultural machinery sector

The importance of adopting technology innovations, mainly in food production contributing to food safety, is significant. This study aims to analyze the diffusion of agricultural production technologies in Brazil, mainly the use of wheel tractors, grain and sugarcane harvesters by producers. A quantitative approach is used to understand the market-level factors that influence the adoption of technologies. A supply response is estimated based on the Bass diffusion model. Data were collected from the National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), which includes Brazilian monthly sales information for wheel tractors, grain and sugarcane harvesters. For each agricultural machine, 700 months of sales records were collected. The imitator’s coefficients were higher than innovators for all types of machines studied. The data showed that, for wheel tractors and grain harvesters, the diffusion curve presented S format (S-curves). However, sugarcane harvesters had a different pattern of diffusion. The distribution of the investigated technologies in Brazil was an imitation process; the market saturation was observed for wheel tractors and grain harvesters. This study helps to comprehend the supply response of agricultural machinery and presents suggestions for the diffusion of agricultural production technologies in Brazil. The experience has shown that several factors can constrain technology adoption, such as lack of credit, limited access to information and inputs, and inadequate infrastructure.

Background in forest engineering to work in urban forestry

Urban Forestry provides multiple ecosystem services and contributes to the resilience of cities. However there are no studies that discuss the background of professionals who work in this field. Thus, it was proposed to analyze the presence of the subject of Urban Forestry in Forest Engineering courses in Brazil. Searches were carried out in the e-MEC Registry to locate the Universities, and on their websites to find the Pedagogical Project or the Curriculum Matrix. To analyze the contents of the Syllabus, the IRAMUTEQ software was used. 68 Forest Engineering courses were located, which are offered by 60 universities and cover 24 states of the country, highlighting the North and Southeast regions, which offer 20 and 16 courses, respectively. 59 Pedagogical Projects were found and there was a lack of standard in the structure and content of the document. In the Curriculum Matrices, 79 subjects on Urban Forestry were identified, but only 27 exclusively address the theme. It was noticed that most of the subjects offered are complementary; only 12 are mandatory and, at the same time, only on Urban Forestry. The subject "Urban Forestry and Landscaping" appears 25 times. However, the two themes have different approaches and, in this case, the main focus was on Landscaping. The analysis of Text Segments of the 65 Syllabuses showed that most of the texts were about Landscaping. It was concluded that there is a deficiency in the background in Forest Engineering in Brazil concerning Urban Forestry, due to the low number of compulsory subjects offered.

Analysis of regulatory process for the implementation of smart metering in Brazil

The expansion of smart metering technology worldwide has represented a change in the energy sector, as it incorporates new technologies for energy consumption. In Brazil, this topic has been contributing to the formation of a regulatory framework regarding new technologies and to the technological training of the national industry. However, the country still needs to overcome some challenges in this sector regarding, for example, energy loss and the lack of interoperability among power metering systems and equipment. In Europe, some countries are in an advanced process of smart metering implementation since they have created all the regulatory and technological foundation needed to support this advancement. This article brings as novelty the analysis of different generations of smart meters in order to classify the existing technologies in Brazil. Given the advanced position of some countries in Europe in the deployment of smart meters, the study also aims to analyze the Brazilian regulatory process aimed at smart metering from the various European Commission measures and directives, as well as some initiatives practiced in specific countries, such as Italy and the United Kingdom. In addition, the study aims to compare the minimum functionalities of the European Union’s measurement system with the Distributed Measurement System (DMS) used in Brazil. These analyses aim to identify the level of smart metering in Brazil and present the best practices adopted in Europe to contribute to the formation of public policies aimed at the dissemination of smart metering in the country.

Solar Photovoltaic Technology In Brazil

In recent years, the use of solar systems has been increasing worldwide in an accelerated rate, with perspective of staying among the main sources of renewable energy for the following decades, along with wind power. The photovoltaic energy in Brazil currently represents 4,5 GW (2,5% of the national electric matrix). Solar thermal energy is called when solar radiation is used to transfer energy to a medium, usually water or air. It is a renewable, sustainable and environmentally friendly source of energy. The number of solar thermal energy applications is very extensive when considering all temperature levels and energy demands. In this context, the present work shows the evolution of solar photovoltaic energy in Brazil, bringing a discussion regarding to solar power characteristics, working principles and different technologies of solar cells, as well as aspects of operation and maintenance of the photovoltaic panels. Investments in research for the development of new technologies and valuation of existing ones for solar energy should also be prioritized, as well as for better planning and sustainable use of photovoltaic energy, given the advantages for the economy, society and the environment provided by this renewable and clean source.

Management innovation and construction integration technology in Brazil’s superlarge deep-water offshore oil and gas unit project (FPSO P67/P70)

Management innovation and construction integration technology in Brazil’s superlarge deep-water offshore oil and gas unit project (FPSO P67/P70)