O modelo espacial multicritérios para implantação de aerogeradores visando a redução de impactos ambientais.

Wind energy is a renewable energy source to increase the Brazilian and global energy matrix. Given the scenario of growth in energy demand added to the wind potential of the Coast of Western Potiguar, this study aimed to obtain a spatial model for predicting potential areas, aiming at the implementation of these projects in five municipalities of Costa Branca, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, in order to prevent environmental impacts. The data were obtained from the databases of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, OpenStreetMap, Google Earth Pro, Topodata and The National Spatial Data Infrastructure, and were also processed in the QGIS 3.16 software with tools from GRASS and SAGA. For this, 35 points randomly inserted in the study area were evaluated through environmental indicators such as vegetation, land use and occupation, water resources, soil and geology, analyzed through the spatial interpolation idw method. It was observed that the model was adapted to the proposed use, and identified that 77.14% (N=27) of the points, with a total area of 1,381.07 ha, presented between 60% and 85% of potential to avoid environmental impacts from wind turbines. Where, Tibau (25.93%) is the most promising municipality for the implementation of wind farms, followed by the municipalities of Serra do Mel (22.22%), Areia Branca (18.52%), Porto do Mangue (18.52%) and Grossos (14.81%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]