The concept of exergy is applied to a national economy as a tool for energy planning. Conversions and utilizations of energy carriers in Brazil are described in terms of both energy and exergy. The energy analysis of the Brazilian economy shows that the overall first-law efficiency of the...

Several studies have proposed different tools for analyzing the integration of variable renewable energy into power grids. This study applies an optimization tool to model the expansion of the electric power system in northeastern Brazil, enabling the most efficient dispatch of the variable...

This study evaluates the possibility of installing an offshore gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Brazil to reduce Natural Gas (NG) flaring, curb carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions and produce premium diesel. CO2e emissions abatement costs were estimated by comparing two alternatives. The...

The more stringent environmental quality specifications for oil products worldwide are tending to step up energy use and, consequently, CO2 emissions at refineries. In Brazil, for example, the stipulated reduction in the sulfur content of diesel and gasoline between 2002 and 2009 should increase...

Several studies hypothetically assume that investors are increasingly using socio-environmental criteria to configure their portfolios. If this is true, oil companies should strive to achieve an environmentally correct image, especially by adhering to sustainability indexes in the capital...

This paper summarizes the methodological approach and the results of a study aimed at assessing the potential for electricity conservation and peak load reduction in the Brazilian residential sector. The study splits the residential sector into 15 subsectors, considering five different...

Energy systems can be vulnerable to climate change. This paper summarizes the contribution of their authors to a few strategic studies, research workshops, development forum and international conferences related to Climate and Energy. It presents a review of the impacts that climate change may...

In this paper, we appraise sustainable household consumption from a global perspective. Using per capita energy requirements as an indicator of environmental pressure, we focus on the importance of income growth in a cross-country analysis. Our analysis is supported by a detailed within-country...

A life-cycle inventory (LCI) of steel based on exergy values is presented. Exergy accounting of energy and materials flows for distinct steel production processes — conventional integrated, semi-integrated and new integrated with smelt reduction — is used to calculate and compare exergy...

This article evaluates energy efficiency in Brazilian crude oil refining in comparison with the crude oil refining in the United States between 1930 and 2008. It aims to show that increased refinery complexity reduces the energy consumption of products of high value added. Moreover, the article...