Technical and Economic Aspects of Gridconnected Solar Photovoltaics in Brazil - Implementing Environmental and Resource Management - page 43

6.2.1 Electricity Generation in Brazil
According to the balance published by MME in 2007, the electricity consumption
in Brazil more than tripled in 2006 (about 380 TWh (Terawatt-hours)) when com-
pared with 1980 levels (about 120 TWh), meaning an average annual growth rate
of about 4.5%. Whereas since 1970 the residential sector has never exceeded a
share of 25% (peak reached by the end of the 1990s), the industrial sector repre-
sented the highest demand during the whole period (around 50% of the total)
(MME 2007). In 2006, hydropower was still the predominant generating technol-
ogy (74.1% of total generation from large reservoir and 1.7% from small hydro-
power plants), the next significant ones being the thermal power plants represent-
ing a 12.3% (fired with coal, natural gas or biomass), and nuclear power plants
contributing a 3.0%, apart from net imports of electricity which amounted to a
8.9% (which include purchases to Paraguay's large hydropower, and to self-
producers). With respect to installed electricity capacity, of a total of 96.6 GW in
2006 (including public utilities and self-generators), the share of hydropower was
about 76% (73.4 GW), and that of natural gas was about 9.5% (9.3 GW) (MME
2007). The reasons for the progressive reduction of the share of hydropower in re-
cent years, in spite of its increasing contribution in absolute terms, lie in the gov-
ernment's plan to build in a short time several thermal power plants that could
avoid a repetition of the events in 2001, when electricity shortages (caused by low
water levels in dams) led to a rationing period with mandatory savings that lasted
for almost one year (IAEA 2006).
6.2.2 Environmental Profile of Brazil's Energy Sector
The Brazilian fossil-fuel atmospheric carbon emissions level, in spite of having
increased steadily since 1983, is relatively low in comparison with the worldwide
standard. In 2004, it was estimated at 86.8 million metric tons of carbon (approx.
318.3 million metric tons of CO 2 -equivalent). With this, in 2004 Brazil occupied
the place of 18th biggest emitter in absolute value, but its per capita emission rate
of 0.50 metric tons of carbon was well below the global average rate, estimated at
1.19 metric tons of carbon / capita (Marland et al. 2007). Regarding emissions per
unit of energy used, the Brazilian government stated (MME 2007) that in 2006 the
Brazilian economy emitted only 1.57 tCO 2 -eq/toe, in comparison with a world av-
erage of 2.37 tCO 2 -eq/toe. In terms of economic carbon efficiency, despite its
economy's size, Brazil ranked very low at worldwide level in the year 2004 with a
value of 0.54 kgCO 2 -eq / US$ GDP , the weighted global average being about 1.5
kgCO 2 -eq / US$ GDP (Marland et al. 2007). As for carbon emissions attributable to
Brazil's electricity mix, the official data (EPE 2007) indicate a value of about 22
MtCO 2 -eq for the 370 TWh generated in 2005, which means a rate of about 60
gCO 2 -eq/kWh. This is lower than the result of a life-cycle assessment study by
Coltro et al. (2007), according to which 1 GJ (about 278 kWh) of delivered elec-
tricity in Brazil in 2000 would be responsible for the emission of 17.83 kg of non-
renewable CO 2 , 54.8 g of non-renewable CH 4 , and 10.99 g of N 2 O. Applying the