Environmental licensing challenges for the implementation of photovoltaic solar energy projects in Brazil

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 132; pp. 1143 - 1154
• Main Authors: Hoffmann, Alessandra Schwertner, Carvalho, Gabriel Henriques de, Cardoso Jr, Ricardo Abranches Felix
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2019; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Assessment criteria; Consumers; Criteria; Electric industries; Electricity; Electricity consumption; Electricity pricing; Energy policy; Environmental aspects; Environmental studies; Improving the permitting process; Investors; Licensing; Photovoltaics; Regulation; Reliability; Solar energy; Subjectivity; Brazil; Environmental aspects; Assessment criteria; Improving the permitting process
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.07.002

The demand for solar sources of electrical energy is increasing in the Brazilian electricity market. Investments in the sector are expected to significantly increase, thereby creating a demand for a reliable environmental licensing process. Analysis of the international regulatory frameworks allows for a critical comparison to national- and state-level frameworks. The results obtained via this comparison have helped to identify different assessment criteria that can be used to define the typologies for environmental studies for the Brazilian states included in this study, and to show the subjectivity of the process. The development of guidance regulations is also recommended to establish more universally applicable criteria. The proposed adjustments aim to reduce the risks of delays, unexpected costs, and availability of the projects, thereby increasing reliability for electricity sector planning, the investors, and the consumers. 1Solar photovoltaic generation is a trend on the Brazilian electric sector planning;2Environmental criteria differs between the Brazilian states;3High risk in environmental licensing result in uncertainties for enterprises and consumers.