Avaliação dos impactos socioeconômicos de projetos energéticos – eletrificação rural: área de concessão da ENERSUL – MS

This article evaluates the impacts of the Program of Rural Electrification called “Luz no Campo” on the energy profile of rural properties located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The evaluation period comprehends three phases – ex-ante, intermediary and ex-post – of the field research and is based on the area of concession of the utility ENERSUL. It presents a panel of the local energy consumption and its relations with the family incomes. It also identifies some changes that occurred as a result of the access to electric energy. The results intend to help the decision makers in the formulation of public policies that aim at promoting the optimization of the use of energetic resources and atpromoting rural development.Key words: Energy, Rural electrification, Sustainable development.Este artigo busca avaliar os impactos no perfil energético das propriedades rurais, decorrentes da implementação do Programa de Eletrificação Rural “Luz no Campo” para a área de concessão da ENERSUL – Empresa Energética de Mato Grosso do Sul, durante três fases da pesquisa de campo: a fase ex-ante, a fase intermediária e a fase ex-post. Será apresentado um painel do perfil de consumo energético das comunidades e, além disso, as relações entre esse consumo e a renda familiar dessa população. Serão identificadas algumas transformações que o homem do campo sofre com a chegada da energia elétrica. Os resultados auxiliarão os tomadores de decisão na formulação de políticas públicas que promovam a otimização do uso de recursos energéticos, assim como na promoção do desenvolvimento rural.Palavras-chave: Energia, Eletrificação rural, Desenvolvimento sustentável

Avaliação dos impactos socioeconômicos de projetos energéticos – eletrificação rural: área de concessão da ENERSUL – MS

This article evaluates the impacts of the Program of Rural Electrification called “Luz no Campo” on the energy profile of rural properties located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The evaluation period comprehends three phases – ex-ante, intermediary and ex-post – of the field research and is based on the area of concession of the utility ENERSUL. It presents a panel of the local energy consumption and its relations with the family incomes. It also identifies some changes that occurred as a result of the access to electric energy. The results intend to help the decision makers in the formulation of public policies that aim at promoting the optimization of the use of energetic resources and atpromoting rural development.Key words: Energy, Rural electrification, Sustainable development.Este artigo busca avaliar os impactos no perfil energético das propriedades rurais, decorrentes da implementação do Programa de Eletrificação Rural “Luz no Campo” para a área de concessão da ENERSUL – Empresa Energética de Mato Grosso do Sul, durante três fases da pesquisa de campo: a fase ex-ante, a fase intermediária e a fase ex-post. Será apresentado um painel do perfil de consumo energético das comunidades e, além disso, as relações entre esse consumo e a renda familiar dessa população. Serão identificadas algumas transformações que o homem do campo sofre com a chegada da energia elétrica. Os resultados auxiliarão os tomadores de decisão na formulação de políticas públicas que promovam a otimização do uso de recursos energéticos, assim como na promoção do desenvolvimento rural.Palavras-chave: Energia, Eletrificação rural, Desenvolvimento sustentável

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Adoption of Photovoltaic Systems Along a Sure Path: A Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Study Applied to the Analysis of GHG Emission Impacts

The expansion of photovoltaic solar energy in the world is significant. However, its contribution to decreases in greenhouse gases (GHG) is not an absolute guarantee. In this context, it is necessary to evaluate its benefits in advance, considering the structure of the electric energy supply matrix of the country producing the photovoltaic solar system, as well as the country where the technology will be implemented. This study evaluates the adoption of renewable sources for electric power generation in a country with a high share of renewable energy. A life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a set of multi-Si photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in the Brazilian northeast (NE), was carried out. The actual generation data of 10 plants totaling 1.1 MWp installed capacity were evaluated during two years of operation. Energy payback time (EPBT), greenhouse gas emission rate (GHGe-rate), and emission payback time were calculated. The great influence of the electric matrix characteristics of the country manufacturing PV systems was evidenced in the results. The interconnected Brazilian electrical system had a 2020 projected GHGe-rate of 63.9 g CO2/kWh, while the results of 70% of the photovoltaic solar power plants (PSPS) assessed herein exhibit higher GHGe-rates. Thus, in countries where the electric matrix comprises a high share of renewable sources, such as Brazil, the incentive to use PV systems manufactured in nations whose electric matrix registers high emission factors should be well evaluated in terms of the impacts of GHG concentrations and the promotion of sustainable development, in order to avoid indirect import of significant amounts of carbon embedded in the systems

Rural electrification and energy poverty: Empirical evidences from Brazil

The aim of this article is to evaluate the impact of rural electrification on the reduction of energy poverty in Brazil through the analysis of 23,000 rural domiciles or rural properties between the years 2000 and 2004. The results indicate a fast change in the profile of energy consumption and a reduction of energy poverty. This new approach works as a complement, among other variables, to analyze and quantify the real economic, social and energy impacts in rural electrification programs, generally applied in developing countries.Rural electrification Energy poverty Electric reform sector Public policy Brazil

The challenge of energy poverty: Brazilian case study

In recent years successive Brazilian governments have actively pursued economic and social policies aimed at reducing poverty and promoting social equality and inclusion. In the field of energy, this has meant introducing and implementing programs aimed at expanding the supply of safe and reliable energy to the poorest sectors of Brazilian society, including those living in remote rural areas. This paper draws attention on the findings of extensive field research to evaluate the impact of rural electrification on energy poverty in the context of government policies aimed at promoting energy equity. The authors re-examine the concept of an energy poverty line, seeking to fine tune its application to Brazilian social and economic realities, and then apply an analytical framework (Lorenz Curve, Gap Poverty, Gap Quadratic, Gini Coefficient and Sen Index) to evaluate the effectiveness of recent efforts in Brazil to expand access to electricity. One of the main conclusions of this study is that is that rural electrification leads to a significant reduction of the energy poverty level and a consequent improvement in energy equity.Rural electrification Energy poverty Brazil

Evaluation of the impact of access to electricity: A comparative analysis of South Africa, China, India and Brazil

Most developing countries include rural electrification programs in their efforts to improve social conditions. There are, however, several obstacles to the evaluation of such programs and therefore of their social, economic, environmental and energy impacts on the target population, particularly on impoverished communities located in remote areas. Evaluation of the efficacy of public policies aimed at rural electrification in South Africa, China, India and Brazil enables such actions to be quantified and re-considered so as to bolster the sustainability of their planning and implementation and also so as to enable comprehension of the significance of access to electricity in relation to other aspects of the drive to improve living standards. The provision of electric energy amounts to more than access to a public service and should be considered an essential right, in a context of social equity and justice, which permits social integration and the access to other equally essential services.Rural electrification Impacts South Africa China India Brazil

Creating the Path for Sustainability: Inserting Solar PV in São Francisco Transposition Project

Semiarid regions are characterized by prolonged droughts and drought regimes. In Brazil, 57% of the northeast region is considered semiarid, with an average annual rainfall of less than 800 mm. This climatic condition imposes the need to conduct public policies and develop infrastructure in order to mitigate drought effects. In this context, the São Francisco River transposition project is an alternative to problems concerning city water supplying and aiming at decreasing socio-economic impacts resulting from water restrictions in this region. On the one hand, the river transposition has the potential to establish a new development cycle in Northeastern Brazil, while, on the other, electricity demands, estimated at 2533 GWh/year from 320 MW of installed capacity, require technological alternatives that ensure the project’s financial sustainability. In this context, this study presents proposals for arrangements concerning electric energy production through photovoltaic systems as an alternative supply for the transposition project. To this end, a study of the region’s photovoltaic solar potential was carried out. Based on the performed assessment, three production arrangement proposals that consider the use of (i) the lateral area and (ii) the transposition channel and (iii) part of the area of some reservoirs belonging to the transposition of São Francisco river. The study point out that the use of this potential for all three studied arrangements is favorable to supply, individually or in a combined form, the electrical energy demanded by the pumping stations installed

From Megawatts to Kilowatts: A Review of Small Wind Turbine Applications, Lessons From The US to Brazil

Increased use of fossil fuels has contributed to global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, which has led countries to implement policies that favor the gradual replacement of their use with renewable energy sources. Wind expansion in Brazil is a success story, but its adherence to distributed generation is still a big challenge. In this context, the authors of this paper argue that the development of robust and viable distributed power grids will also depend in the future on improving small wind generation as an important alternative to the diversity of decentralized power grids. In this study, the authors present an overview of the small-sized Aeolic (or wind) energy market in Brazil, with the objective to support the debate regarding its expansion. Promoting the small wind market in Brazil is still a big challenge, but lessons can be learned from the United States. In this context, the article uses the United States learning curve, analyzing barriers that were found, as well as public policies implemented to overcome them. The lessons learned in the American market may guide public policies aimed at fostering this technology in Brazil. If technological improvements, certification and introduction of financial incentives were implemented in Brazil, the small wind industry chain could grow substantially, building a trajectory to promote the low carbon economy