Abstract
The compositions of the world’s energy mix undergo modifications over time. Fossil resource depletion and the high rates of greenhouse gases related to non-renewable energy-based matrixes influence adaptation processes. Under these circumstances, in 2007 the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) published the National Energy Plan (PNE 2030), which directs the future development of the Brazilian electricity mix. Knowing that different energy sources generate different environmental burdens, the objective of this work was to characterize the potential impacts (e.g. greenhouse gases and land use) of the configuration of the Brazilian energy mix in the years 2005 (baseline), 2010, 2018, 2020 and 2030. Thus, it is possible to understand how the expansion of energy production influences the environmental impacts of the electrical sector. The impacts were evaluated through Life Cycle Assessment, employing the OpenLCA 1.9.0 software, and based on the ecoinvent 3.5 database alongside literature data. The current energy mix’s impact is more significant than it was in 2005 (greenhouse gas emissions, for example, increased by approximately 20%). If the PNE 2030 projections are correct, the impact of the future Brazilian energy mix will be significant than it was in 2005, and as it is today. The main contributing factor to this situation is electricity production by biomass and natural gas. To reverse this scenario, more investments should be made in cleaner sources, especially in wind farms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Associação Brasileira De Energia Eólica (ABEEL) – Dados ABEEolica. Available at: http://abeeolica.org.br/dados-abeeolica/. Accessed in July 2019
Agência Nacional De Energia Elétrica (ANEEL) (2019) Matriz Energética Brasileira – Operação e Capacidade do Brasil. Available at http://www2.aneel.gov.br/aplicacoes/capacidadebrasil/OperacaoCapacidadeBrasil.cfm Accessed in July 2019
Coelho SO (2014) Avaliação das Emissões Atmosféricas das Principais Termelétricas Brasileiras a Gás Natural – Ano Base 2013. Trabalho Final de Curso apresentado ao Colegiado do Curso de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, como requisito parcial à obtenção do título de Engenheiro Sanitarista e Ambiental. UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE JUIZ DE FORA – UFJF. 2014
Elia V, Gnoni MG, Tornese F (2017) Measuring circular economy strategies through index methods: a critical analysis. J Cleaner Prod 142:2741–2751
Empresa De Pesquisa Energética (EPE) (2007) Plano Nacional de Energia 2030. Rio de Janeiro
Empresa De Pesquisa Energética (EPE) (2019a) Balanço Energético Nacional 2019 – Relatório Síntese/Ano Base 2018. Rio de Janeiro
Empresa De Pesquisa Energética (EPE) (2019b) Mapa de Infraestrutura de Gasodutos de Transporte. Available at: http://www.epe.gov.br/pt/publicacoes-dados-abertos/publicacoes/mapa-da-infraestrutura-de-gasodutos-de-transporte. Accessed in July 2019
Gagnon L, Bélanger C, Uchiyama Y (2002) Life-cycle assessment of electricity generation options: The status of research in year 2001. Energy Policy Hydropower Soc Environ 21st century 30(14), 1267–1278
Galindro BM, Zanghelini GM, Soares SR (2019) Use of benchmarking techniques to improve communication in life cycle assessment: a general review. J Cleaner Prod 213, 143–157
IEA, IRENA, UN Statistics, World Bank and WHO (2018, forthcoming), Tracking SDG 7: Progress Towards Sustainable Energy. A Joint Report of the Custodian Agencies
International Energy Agency (IEA) (2017), Energy access outlook: World Energy Outlook Special Report, OECD/IEA, Paris
International Enegy Agency (IEA) (2018) world energy outlook 2018. Executive Summary, Paris
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) (2017) Rethinking energy: accelerating the energy transition, Abu Dhabi
International Standarts Organization (ISO) (2006a) ISO 14040 International standard. Environmental management…life cycle assessment-principles and framework. Available at: https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html. Accessed in July 2019
International Standarts Organization (ISO) (2006b) ISO 14044 Environmental Management-Life Cycle Assessment-Requirements and Guidelines. Available at: https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html. Accessed in:July 2019
Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) (2006). 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Available at: https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/. Accessed in:July /2019
Noi CD, Ciroth A, Srocka M (2017) OpenLCA 1.7: comprehensive user manual. Greendelta, Berlim, 104p
NORTE ENERGIA (2019) UHE Belo Monte – A usina. Available at https://www.norteenergiasa.com.br/pt-br/uhe-belo-monte/a-usina. Accessed in July 2019
Pré CONSULTANTS (2013) SimaPro database manual: methods library. Report version 2.5 Available at: http://www.pre-sustainability.com/download/DatabaseManualMethods-oct2013.pdf. Accessed in July 2019
Rijksinstituut Voor Volksgezond (RIVM) (2016) ReCiPe 2016 v1.1—2A harmonized life cycle impact assessment method at midpoint and endpoint level. Report I: Characteriztion. Bilthoven
Schreiber A, Marx J, Zapp, P. Comparative life cycle assessment of electricity generation by different wind turbine types. Journal of Cleaner Production, vol 233, pp 561–572
Turconi R, Astrup, T. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of electricity generation technologies: Overview, comparability and limitations. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 28, 555–565, Dec 2013
United Nations (2017) Transforming our world—The 2030 agenda for sustainable development
United Nations (2018) Accelerating SDG 7 Achievement: policy briefs in support of the first SDG 7 review at the UN high-level political forum 2018
World Energy Council (WEC) (2019) - World Energy Insights Brief - Global energy scenarios comparison. London. 2019
Yu P et al (2019) Life cycle assessment of transformation from a sub-critical power plant into a polygeneration plant. Energy Convers Manage 198:111801
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
de Souza Junior, H.R.A., Dantas, T.E.T., Cherubini, E., Zanghelini, G.M., Soares, S.R. (2020). Environmental Impacts of the Brazilian Energy Mix—An LCA Approach to Past, Present, and Future Scenarios. In: Leal Filho, W., de Andrade Guerra, J.B.S. (eds) Water, Energy and Food Nexus in the Context of Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57235-8_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57235-8_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-57234-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-57235-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)