Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation in Brazil: An Analysis of the 2016–2026 Period

Murillo Vetroni Barros, Cassiano Moro Piekarski and Antonio Carlos De Francisco
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Murillo Vetroni Barros: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology—Paraná (UTFPR), 84016-210 Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil
Cassiano Moro Piekarski: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology—Paraná (UTFPR), 84016-210 Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil
Antonio Carlos De Francisco: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology—Paraná (UTFPR), 84016-210 Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: The present paper aims to evaluate the past and future environmental performance of the electricity generation in Brazil in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Global Temperature Potential (GTP). To that end, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool was used to evaluate the system’s environmental performance, based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, using the Ecoinvent v 3.3 database. This study provides data on global warming by the GWP and GTP 100 years impact category. The functional unit and reference flow is kWh. The model was applied to the electricity generation in Brazil for the years 2016–2026 using Umberto NXT Universal software. The results indicate that the greatest environmental impacts lie on generation sources such as oil, natural gas, hydropower and hard coal. Carbon dioxide was the main contributor to atmospheric emissions in the life cycle of the Brazilian electricity matrix in 2016 and 2026. The total potential impact (and per kWh) is expected to decrease until 2021. The Brazilian electricity matrix is expected to be less pollutant in terms of carbon footprint until 2021. The study can contribute to directing public policies, promoting development actions and encouraging different electricity matrices.

Keywords: LCA; electricity matrix; primary energy; GWP; GTP; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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