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The present paper explored the effect of renewable energy, financial development, and technological innovation on the ecological footprint in Brazil using a yearly dataset stretching between 1990 and 2018. The research leverage dynamic autoregressive distributed lag, Bayern and Hank cointegration, and frequency domain causality to explore these interrelationships. The ARDL bounds test outcome confirms a long-run connection between ecological footprint and its drivers. Besides, we employed the Bayern and Hank cointegration, and the outcome resonated with the ARDL bounds test result. Moreover, the dynamic ARDL outcomes disclosed that economic progress worsens the ecosystem whilst renewable energy, trade globalization, and technological innovation lessen the ecological footprint. In addition, no significant interrelationship was found between financial development and ecological footprint. Moreover, with the exemption of financial development, all the exogenous variables can forecast the ecological footprint in Brazil. The study proposes that policymakers in Brazil should undertake investments in research and development in order to achieve technological innovation. Furthermore, since technological innovation has been shown to contribute significantly to lowering the ecological footprint, it is possible to assume that enhancing current technology is the ultimate remedy to Brazil's ecological problems. • Dynamic ARDL applied to Brazil's time series data. • Renewable energy and Technology innovation improve environmental quality. • Trade and globalization also reduce Ecological Footprints (EF). • Economic Growth contributes to higher EF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is a case of the achievement of a high share of wind energy integration to an interconnected power system in an emerging market. A series of successful energy supply programmes and a strong renewable-oriented finance framework implemented since 2002, have promoted alternative renewables – wind installed capacity increased over 22-fold from 927 MW in 2011 to 21 GW in 2022, reaching 11.77% of total procured power. From this, about 90% are concentrated in Brazil's least developed region, the Northeast, where wind investment should create jobs and propel socioeconomic development. Despite that, there is no studies specific assessing the regional and economy-wide effects of those programmes, gap that this paper aims to fill by applying the regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model TERM-BR10. We assess that by modelling an alternative scenario for the period 2010-19 based on an official electricity matrix built in 2010, that projected 3.4 additional GW of wind power while not considering all the success of renewable policies, against the observed installed capacity expansion, where wind power was 3.7 times higher than what had been planned. Our results show that in the absence of renewable policies, Brazil would have faced economic losses such as GDP (−0.27%) and investment (−4.76%). The Northeast region would have been the most impacted in terms of GDP (−1.3%), real wage (−2.99%) and employment creation (−0.1%). We propose that such socioeconomic co-benefits are incorporated in energy planning, which could promote regional equality through renewable energy expansion. • Wind power capacity increased over 20-fold from 2011 to 2022. • 90% are in the poorest region where policies propel development and job creation. • Policy absence would entail a GDP loss of 0.27% nationally and of 1.3% in the region. • Negative impacts to labour market are mostly over skilled jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the main challenges for the development of the natural gas industry in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo; in so doing, the paper identifies the strategies that are currently employed by industry players to encourage the use of this resource and to thus diversify the state's energy matrix. For these purposes, the following methodology was adopted: (i) analyzing bibliographic references that address the issues of infrastructure industry, regulation and the natural gas industry in Brazil – including in the Brazilian states; and (ii) employing secondary data from governmental and regulatory institutions to demonstrate the evolution of this industry in recent years in Brazil and particularly in Espírito Santo. The study concludes that, although there are challenges in expanding the gas transportation (carrier) and distribution segments ("natural monopolies") and the formation of a "consumption-anchor" for natural gas, the present is the right time to use public policies to encourage the use of natural gas and renewable sources for technological, environmental and energy security reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sustainability goals for soy biodiesel are to contribute to energy security by providing a domestically sourced fuel, to maintain and enhance the natzural resource base and environmental quality, to produce an economically viable fuel, and to improve the quality of life. Sustainability is more than just greenhouse gas savings. The main aspects of sustainability of soy biodiesel are environmental, economic and social effects of production and use. The intent of this paper is to identify the major sustainability concerns associated with specific resource use and the potential environmental and social consequences of widely deployed and expanded commercial production and use of soy biodiesel and to explore the opportunities for mitigating these concerns. The ecological and socio-economic consequences of large-scale renewable energy action plans for soy biodiesel are critically considered. This paper is based on the performance and prospects of soy biodiesel production on a global basis as emerging from some 30 life-cycle analyses relative to the main production areas (USA, Brazil, Argentina and PR China). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • A dish/Stirling system using Brazilian experimental solar database was studied. • Iwamoto's model for Stirling engines was updated to reduce errors. • One commercial parabolic dish with 7.5 m of diameter was used. • It was noticed that the maximum output power reached is higher than 1.6 kW. • Global efficiency was higher than 19% between 12 h and 15 h, reaching 26% at 11 h. Abstract In this paper, a methodology is developed to evaluate the performance of a solar system composed of a Stirling engine and a solar dish. There are four models to be assessed: theoretical model of solar irradiation, model of parabolic solar dish, thermal model of receiver and prediction model of Stirling engine performance. A case of study will analyse a city named Natal-RN, located in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. This city has high annual rates of solar irradiation. Tonatiuh software is used to evaluate parabolic dishes applying the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing method. Furthermore, a prediction model of Stirling engine performance is reformulated using 26 engines data. This reformulation allows error reduction in the prediction of four parameters when compared with the original Iwamoto's model: 40.0% in the maximum output power, 31.0% in the output power at maximum efficiency, 12.1% in the engine speed at maximum output power and 55.8% in the engine speed at maximum efficiency. The behaviour of the system, NS03T Stirling engine and solar dish, is assessed using experimental data of a Brazilian program named SONDA. At Natal-RN, it is noticed that the maximum output power reached by NS03T is higher than 1.6 kW and its global efficiency is higher than 19% between 12 h and 15 h, reaching 26% at 11 h. This values are referent to April, which is the month that represents the average solar characteristics during the year of 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the turn of the century, Brazilian sugarcane production has increased and the area under sugarcane cultivation has expanded considerably, moves primarily driven by the use of ethanol as a fuel source. The crop’s expansion has impacting land use patterns and employment trends in several of Brazil’s regions. This study assesses the dynamics of land use competition in São Paulo, Brazil, the state responsible for the largest share of sugarcane production and fuel ethanol refining in the country. The assessment employs shift-share analysis carried out in two stages and data from 2000 through 2015. Results indicate that cultivated area dedicated to sugarcane increased dramatically over this period to the detriment not only of pasture areas, as is commonly emphasized in relevant literature, but also of land formerly dedicated to annual and perennial food crops, such as rice, beans, corn, potatoes, cassava, and fruits. The shift in agricultural land use has given rise to three main concerns: (1) land price increases; (2) food price increases; and (3) possible challenges to the use of sugarcane as an economical fuel source. The study analyzed the viability of sugarcane ethanol as a competitive alternative to other energy sources and the risks its use presents to food security. This paper also contains a summary of the "food vs. fuel" debate, adding new elements to refine the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work shows a technical review for two promising technologies and two commercial systems that can be applied in Hybrid Wind Systems —also known as Extraction Water from Air Systems (EWAS) — for the special weather conditions presents in Brazilian northeast. Additionally, a full description of the main components for the innovative technologies and for commercial solutions are explained. An energy consumption analysis for each one of these systems is made for comparison purposes. Water extraction capacity and energy efficiency are evaluated (for two commercial EWAS) for a theoretical operation point in the middle of the North–eastern semi–desert region. This point is obtained by means of the well–known humid air diagram. Important information about minimum environmental conditions for Membranes and Coils are also considered. Three main types of electric generators are described, including its advantages and disadvantages, for the estimation of the power ratio to generating electricity and water. For all above, the right sizing of the future Brazilian EWAS prototype and its possible application in a semi-arid region is the objective of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol production and the diffusion of flex-fuel vehicles are successful examples of renewable energy in the transportation sector in Brazil. Despite these achievements, challenges regarding the Brazilian fleet, composed of inefficient light-duty passenger vehicles (LDPV), need to be addressed. In this regard, political measures have been implemented, for instance voluntary labeling and fiscal incentives related to fuel economy targets. However, there is still room to improve these instruments to capture greater economic and environmental benefits related to fuel economy. In this paper, we present information regarding the Brazilian LDPV fleet, its fuel consumption, its CO 2 emissions and a description of the historical evolution of policies concerning fuel economy in Brazil. Furthermore, we estimate impacts related to the adoption of mandatory fuel economy standards (MFES), in terms of fuel economy and CO 2 emissions reduction. This analysis indicates that 18,626 million liters of gasohol E-22 and 16,274 million liters of ethanol E-100 can be saved up to 2035. The related reduction of CO 2 emissions is also significant, about 62 Gg of CO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the analysis made by an article recently published in this journal [1]. The purpose of this manuscript is to bring new contributions to this complex subject, namely the limits to the penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) into national grids. A detailed and advanced model has been used in this work in order to add further contributions to De Jong et al. [1] findings. For example, by applying an optimization model, we were able to show that the high wind penetration (65%) almost without curtailment found by [1] might not happen, mainly due to inflexibility constraints in Brazilian power plants and also to transmission limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis of energy governance regarding nonconventional renewable energy sources (NCRES) in Brazil and Germany. Brazil is a world leader in the use of conventional renewable energy sources, such as hydro power, while Germany has been achieving outstanding results in fostering NCRES. The focus is on two critical issues: the legal and regulatory framework and the institutions created to support the NCRES market development. The comparison shows that, despite the very different energy situations and policy drivers, valuables lessons can be extracted from the German experience. The main lesson for Brazil is to think NCRES as a strategic opportunity to rely less on fossil fuel and large hydroelectric power plants, to decentralize the electric power sector, to use the huge solar, biomass and wind power potential available in the country and to create a environment-friendly NCRES industry. To this end, three critical points were identified: (1) the legal and regulatory framework should be improved; (2) long-term energy planning taking into account social, economic and climate issues and; (3) the current institutions supporting NCRES in Brazil should be upgraded and/or new ones, such as more specific energy agencies, should be created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower is the backbone of the Brazilian electricity generation sector. Even though the use of this resource is advantaged in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, last years׳ severe droughts have exposed the country׳s huge dependency on hydroelectricity. Brazil׳s electricity supply system has shown to be vulnerable to electricity shortages and has demanded significant overhaul in order to address its challenges. The present paper provides a comprehensive review of the current status of the Brazilian electricity sector and discusses diversification of electricity generation mix as a strategy to improve electricity supply security in the country. An overview of the main features of the energy sources applied in Brazil is also presented through a review of the latest available generation data. The central section of this work is a discussion of the main causes of the current crisis and the future role of renewable energy sources in a 10-year perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil has a predominantly renewable origin electricity generation matrix, with hydro generation accounting for about 69% of the supply. This paper promotes hydropower projects in Brazil environmental licensing procedure critical assessment, with the aim of identifying and assessing possible solutions to enhance the process, especially through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) application to hydroelectric generation expansion planning processes. It was concluded that impact assessment has led to significant environmental improvements, as it is capable of preventing, controlling and compensating significant – and very often irreversible – environmental impacts, especially through projects optimization and environmental programs that were not initially foreseen in the EIA inclusion. However, as has been expounded throughout this study, there are still several gaps and limitations in the current process, both in power generation expansion planning aspect and project environmental impact assessment aspect. SEA application in the planning phase could contribute to facilitate and simplify hydroelectric plants licensing. Many currently compulsory stages that are carried out after the request for a prior license, such as the consultation made to involved entities and the area environmental diagnosis could already be commenced in the planning phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern world is highly dependent on energy. Biodiesel is recognized as a green and alternative renewable diesel fuel, and Brazil is the world׳s third largest producer of biodiesel, which in this country is mainly produced from soybeans. As the demand for biodiesel is increasing due to the increasing use of transportation fuel, it is advisable to look for other sources that would not need a vast cropland. Recently, microalgae have emerged as a source than can play the dual role of bioremediation of wastewater and generation of biomass for biodiesel production. This paper focuses on the feasibility of utilizing wastewater to cultivate algae for the production of biodiesel in Brazil. By using only domestic wastewater from 40% of Brazilian municipalities, the production of biodiesel would increase by 21.4%. Moreover, the use of wastewater treatment becomes an economically attractive alternative as the revenue from selling biodiesel overcomes the production costs by at least 10%. As a result, Brazil could easily increase its current biodiesel production and simultaneously amazingly improve its index of sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential for sugarcane ethanol from Brazil to mitigate GHG emissions is undeniable, but the way that ethanol is produced during the agricultural and industrial phases will ultimately determine its benefits to society. In this paper, we evaluate the environmental impacts of sugarcane agriculture and ethanol production in Brazil as management practices continue to change and production expands to new frontiers. We focused our evaluation on the impacts on water, atmosphere, and soils, including how the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers and the accumulation of crop residue in the field affect emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). We also addressed the impacts of land use changes on threatened biomes and discussed some of the present obstacles regarding conservation and restoration efforts. We concluded that, since a similar assessment was put forth in 2008, our knowledge about the environmental impacts of sugarcane ethanol in Brazil has advanced with regard to soil degradation, nitrogen dynamics, and soil carbon stocks. However, more information is still needed about the impacts of the increasing use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in sugarcane agriculture, especially on water resources. Furthermore, without a better understanding about how landscape fragmentation affects the biodiversity of terrestrial and aquatic tropical ecosystems and the services they provide, policies created to protect and restore them may be ineffective. On the other hand, the use of presently available scientific information to end unsustainable farming and the implementation of conservation strategies proposed by the Brazilian Forest Code could be a first step to guarantee that ethanol is produced more sustainably in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to analyse the environmental and economic impacts of the Multi-fuel Solar Hybrid Power Plant concept called SolComBio. An environmental and economic assessment is performed to investigate whether the concept could be suitable for energy source in remote areas compared with the conventional local energy supply systems. The technological concept relies on the combination of a solar thermal receiver and a multi-fuel pulverized biomass burner system to overcome the impediments of local or regional power supply under environmental friendly and economic sound conditions. Through the hybridisation with multi-fuel pulverized burner system, SolComBio concept overcomes the drawbacks of solar systems and offers flexibility of operation time and also possibility of fuel changes, which makes it suitable for areas with seasonal biomass production. Two cases of constructing and operating the plant in a Brazilian and Indonesian remote region are addressed. According to the calculations, SolComBio seems to be promising from the environmental side; nonetheless, depending on the conditions at the local land and feedstock markets the SolComBio concept could be competitive or not. This study offers a reflection how a technological concept can arouse interest of remote regions from the perspective of systems analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Successful development of renewable energy technologies like solar photovoltaic energy (SPV) critically relies on its understanding and acceptance by consumers and institutional customers. Even in contexts of favorable support at the general level like in Brazil, their implementation faces multiple challenges, including low awareness, misperceptions, insufficient communication, and eco-labels' mixed record as information enhancing tools. This paper discusses how market research has been instrumental in developing the first SPV venture in Brazil, by identifying public's beliefs and level of support for alternative energies, and by testing reactions to a solar energy eco-label scheme proposed as key communication tool. The study indicates that expectations for return on investment are affected by a sustainability penalty, as well as by price and adaptation barriers. It also reveals an assessment gap between the concept and design of eco-label, which led to a new eco-label design capable of better addressing unfavorable beliefs, integrating expectations, and improving overall acceptance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Since the 1970s, demands arising from the impacts of the power sector on the natural environment were added to studies regarding the strategic power sector and its impact on the economic and financial crises. Thus, the development of alternative technologies reflected the new institutional guidelines and overcame the technological paradigms that were based on increasing installed capacities. Consequently, multiple debates that consider the energy use potential of each region and its contributions to sustainable development occurred. This paper presents the information that is necessary for understanding the relationships of the development model that was founded based on waste and the expanding technologies that exploit natural resources. Actions that are aimed at developing renewable energy resources are structured based on the instability of the technological maintenance paradigm and are guaranteed by expanding technologies that were used prior to 1970. In addition, we evaluated the current institutional arrangements that are used to promote wind energy. In this case, greater attention was given to the European experience because Europe provides multiple examples of successful legal frameworks that promote wind energy. In addition, Europe is a benchmark for emerging market countries, such as Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article aims to investigate the introduction, sustenance and consolidation of bioethanol in Brazil. It presents an analysis of its introductory stage, from the first decades of the 20th century until the early 1970s, when, in a second stage, additional measures allowed for its consolidation and maturity, under the widely known Proalcool. The paper presents a historical reinterpretation of the policies, mechanisms and instruments adopted in both stages, aiming to highlight the economical and political links. It is concluded that the interests of the agrarian elites, operating at the political level, and the fuel supply crisis during Second World War were basic during the first stage, to sustain a productive and logistic capacity and maintain ethanol alive as an automotive fuel. It is also concluded that the launching of Proalcool represented a transition combining the interests of the sugarcane agribusiness, burdened by the drop in sugar prices, and the need to equilibrate the balance of payments due to the oil shocks of the 1970s. Ethanol supply shocks harmed its credibility and its commercial consolidation was only possible through the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles with expectations strongly relying on climate change mitigation actions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Brazil''s wind power potential is impressive. The incentive policies that have being implemented in the country, since the last decade, promoted the implementation of some projects, mainly through the Alternative Energy Sources Incentive Program (PROINFA), which started in 2002. After the first phase of PROINFA, the wind power sector in Brazil is still waiting for a new long-term program. By applying a GIS model to the available wind database, this paper evaluates three long-term incentive programs to wind power in Brazil, according to specific targets and criterion. The first target was to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from the electricity generation, through the replacement of fossil fuels fired-thermal plants. In this case, an incentive program based on quotes and permits would install a wind capacity hovering between 18.7 and 28.9GW. For the target of optimizing the operation of Brazil''s hydropower reservoirs, a program based on feed-in tariffs would result in the installed capacity of 15.5–65.4GW, depending on the criterion for selecting the projects. Finally, considering only the target of fostering a domestic wind technology industry, the installed capacity would vary between 29.1 and 217.1, depending on the criterion for selecting the projects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Economic competitiveness is a very frequent argument against renewable energy (RE). This paper demonstrates, through the Brazilian experience with ethanol, that economies of scale and technological advances lead to increased competitiveness of this renewable alternative, reducing the gap with conventional fossil fuels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]