A pegada de carbono na produção de energia hidráulica: uma abordagem metodológica prospectiva para as emissões de carbono

Abstract

The quantification of carbon emissions, through the analysis of carbon footprint reports in the hydroelectric power production, enables and contributes to Brazilian electricity sector in regard to strategic decision. Considering article 30, IV of Law 12,187/09, National Policy on Climate Change, which states that "sustainable development is a condition for tackling climate change and reconciling the common and particular needs of the populations and communities living on national territory", as well as the recent agreement signed in Paris at COP21 through of which Brazil has committed itself to taking consistent measures to combat increasing of global temperature, the analysis of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere seeks to meet the aspirations of this sustainable development and global objective, adjusting the energy production to such proposal related to climate change. The greatest benefit in expanding knowledge will be for decision-making purposes related to investments in the Brazilian electricity sector. The method used for the development of the present work had (1) bibliographical review of papers related to the topic, (2) analysis of the ISO 14067 and GHG PROTOCOL-FGV methodologies for carbon footprint reports; (3) critical analysis of the IPCC methodology for emissions quantification and formation of the databases (emissions inventories) for the carbon footprint reports; and (4) analysis of the national experience in the execution of data collection on hydroelectric reservoir emissions through the BALCAR project. The results showed that Carbon Footprint could be used as a planning instrument to meet the legal objectives of the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change. Therefore, it is expected that this work may contribute to the knowledge about emissions related to hydroelectric energy production in Brazil and impacts of these emissions, in order to collaborate with the efficiency in use of natural resources regarding production of electric energy.