Brazilian emissions of greenhouse gases related to fossil fuel thermoelectric plants jumped by 75% from 2020 to 2021. Last year, around 20% of the Brazilian energy matrix was composed of fossil thermoelectricity, that is, electricity from burning mainly gas and coal.
The data come from a study released this Thursday (15th) by Iema (Institute of Energy and Environment). The research takes into account the energy injected into the National Interconnected System.
In the year before last, around 15% of the energy matrix was derived from fossil fuels. In 2000, it was only 9%.
The growth from 2020 to 2021 is related to the water crisis in the country, according to the Iema study. Despite this, the institute points out that the participation of fossil sources in the national energy matrix has grown, especially since 2010.
Fossil energy generation increased from 30.6 TWh (read terawatt hours) in 2000 to 133.8
TWh in 2021, according to data highlighted by Iema.
The leap seen last year has nothing to do with new plants being installed, but, in general, with the more intense operation of existing ones and the use of more polluting energy sources, such as coal.
The study took into account the 82 thermoelectric plants connected to the National Interconnected System that emitted, in all, 55.6 million tons of CO2 last year.twoand (read carbon dioxide equivalent, a way of adding up all greenhouse gases emitted).
It is noteworthy that only 13 thermoelectric plants were responsible for about 51% of the gases emitted by the entire energy pole considered. Of these, eight were powered by mineral coal —and were responsible for 17% of electricity production derived from fossil fuels—
and the remainder on natural gas.
A significant share of emissions (about 90%) comes from 41 of the plants considered in the survey. This concentration can be explained by the large productions in some also large plants in the national thermoelectric park.
In general terms, it is possible to say that the plants that produce the most energy are also those that emit the most, according to Felipe Barcellos e Silva, one of the authors of the Iema study. But not only that. Used fuel also “helps” in this regard. Coal, for example, is a source of energy that emits considerably more than natural gas.
In any case, according to Iema, 72% of the total thermoelectric plants considered generated energy from natural gas.
The Iema study also points out which were the plants with the most emissions. The winner was Porto do Pecém 1, in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Ceará, responsible for 6.3% of documented fossil emissions.
In second place is Candiota 3, in the municipality of Candiota, in Rio Grande do Sul, responsible for 5.9%. Both Porto do Pecém 1 and Candiota 3 use coal for power generation.
The Termório plant, in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, completes the ranking, with 5.4% of emissions (this plant produces electricity and steam, which means that part of the emissions may not have resulted in energy generation).
The plants are, logically, associated with companies. With that, Iema also mapped the companies with the highest emissions. Four are responsible for 61% of greenhouse gases emitted in 2021: Petrobras, with 26.1%; Eneva, with 13.9%; Eletrobras with 11.8%; and Fram Capital Energy with 8.8% of emissions.
Despite Petrobras leading the overall ranking, Engie was the one that issued the most in terms of the energy it produced.
The data in question refer to last year. According to Barcellos e Silva, for 2022, the trend is for emissions associated with the electricity sector to decrease compared to 2021, because, in general, the climate situation was more favorable and the hydroelectric reservoirs are not at critical levels, which which leads to the non-activation of thermoelectric plants.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the study cannot cover absolutely all thermoelectric plants in operation in the country, considering only those linked to the National Interconnected System. For example, thermoelectric plants using biomass (such as sugarcane bagasse) were not accounted for —they, however, emit less when compared to those using fossil fuels—, points out Barcellos e Silva.
Self-generating thermoelectric plants, which are connected to industries and intended for the generation of electricity for these companies specifically, were also not accounted for. “The oil and gas industry has many self-generating thermoelectric plants that use natural gas from oil exploration to generate electricity and feed the exploration plant”, says Barcellos e Silva.
Despite having an impact on national emissions, thermoelectric plants are responsible for about 18% of Brazilian emissions (considering 2021 data), according to data from SEEG (System for Estimating Emissions and Removals of Greenhouse Gases). Brazil’s biggest sources of emissions are deforestation and agribusiness.
Despite this, Barcellos e Silva claims that the obligation to contract new thermoelectric plants, as of Law 14,182, sanctioned by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), will have a significant impact on emissions in the sector. According to the specialist, when these new plants are installed, an increase in emissions of 20 million tons of CO is expected.twoand.
“That would represent more than 30% of the current emissions of the National Interconnected System”, says Barcellos e Silva. “For this reason, it is even important to rethink the section of the law that deals with the installation of these thermal plants and who knows, maybe even revoke it.”
Brazil has an international climate commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The country needs to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. By 2025, it must reduce 37% of greenhouse gases, compared to 2005 emissions, and, by 2030, to have reduced 50% of gases, also compared to 2005.
The Iema report also criticizes the lack of transparency and the quality of the available data. “The selected font [para realização do estudo]Rapp/Ibama, although the most complete in terms of availability of fuel consumption information, presented inconsistent or missing data for more than 30 plants”, points out the report.
The Planeta em Transe project is supported by the Open Society Foundations.
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