An Air Pollutant Emission Analysis of Brazilian Electricity Production Projections and Other Countries

Rafaella de Souza Henriques, Rodney Rezende Saldanha and Lineker Max Goulart Coelho
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Rafaella de Souza Henriques: Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering—Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Rodney Rezende Saldanha: Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering—Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Lineker Max Goulart Coelho: Department of Civil Engineering—Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais—Av. Amazonas, 7675, 30510-000 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: In the face of the population’s growing awareness about environmental degradation, air pollutant emissions from electricity production become a very relevant issue. Therefore, the present work aims to evaluate the greenhouse gases (GHG), NO x and SO 2 emissions in the Brazilian electricity production, using the expected capacity expansion from Ten-Year Energy Expansion Plan-2027, the current installed capacity of power generation and the electrical load factor. This study was based on data provided by official institutions that are responsible for the electricity sector as well as academic studies of the area. In order to obtain a better analysis of the most likely air pollutant emission values bounds, a Monte Carlo simulation was performed. In addition, the 2017 energy production emissions from Brazil, France, China, and the USA were evaluated and compared. The results indicate that non-renewable sources of energy have a negative environmental impact. In general, the emissions of CO 2 -eq and NO x per MWh are increasing according to Brazilian energy generation projections, but when compared with global indicator Brazil has an affordable electricity mix in terms of air pollutant emissions.

Keywords: pollutant emissions; energy projections; Monte Carlo simulation (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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