From 2GreenEnergy Intern Marcela Carvalho: Energy Trends in Brazil

Here’s article from one our 2GreenEnergy interns, Marcela Carvalho, an energy engineering student at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.  I was flattered to know that “some of her professors” suggested that she contact us, and I eagerly welcomes her to the team.  As Marcela is from Brazil, she had no trouble assembling this piece on the trends in energy that exist in her home country.  

Brazil has become one of the most powerful countries in terms of renewable energy sources, due to its privileged geology compared to other countries; Brazil enjoys an enormous availability of energy sources. For example, its hydro-electric potential is high, the chances of obtaining energy from different sources of biomass are huge, and the production of oil and natural gas has increased significantly.

Nowadays these renewable resources (mainly hydro) are responsible for more than 80% of the energy produced in the country. Moreover, Brazil started focusing on using as many different energy resources as possible in order to enlarge the country’s matrix using wind, solar, biomass, and thermoelectricity to offset the loss of hydro during the dry season. In addition, sugarcane ethanol added a powerful and competitive industry to the country; Brazil, indeed, is becoming a leader in new biofuel technologies due to its large production, which has replaced almost 40% of the gasoline needed in the country.

On the other hand, Brazil faces a tough reality. The country is responsible for a significant percentage of greenhouse gases emissions in the atmosphere. Most of its contribution is due to the deforestation of the Amazon forest (which occupies 61% of the country’s area), representing about 80% of the country’s emissions. In conclusion, besides the large amount of greenhouse gases and high levels of deforestation, Brazil has a large diversity of renewable energy sources, which can be used for its own national development and to reduce its contribution to climate change.