Modern renewable energies, energy transition, and climate crisis

a reflection on the brazilian Northeast

Abstract

This study aims to promote reflection on the evolution of renewable energy sources within the context of the energy transition and the climate crisis, considering the renewable energy generation capacity in the Northeast region of Brazil and the electricity generated from these sources. It argues that the energy transition at the local level is a fundamental element in guaranteeing the supply of electricity in the region, requiring a geographical restructuring guided by the presence of natural resources suitable for the implementation of large renewable energy projects, as well as promoting economic dynamism in the areas that receive such projects. Based on a review of the relevant literature and the analysis of secondary data, it was found that the expansion of the regional electricity matrix in recent years has been predominantly driven by modern renewable sources, whose growing representation in electricity generation has compensated for the relative decrease in the contribution of hydroelectric power, especially during periods of water scarcity, in addition to mitigating the demand for the activation of thermoelectric plants. It is also worth highlighting that the progress of renewable energies in the region was made possible by a set of regulatory milestones, including the restructuring of the electricity sector in the 2000s, the creation of PROINFA, the holding of energy auctions, among others, which ensured regulatory security, economic predictability and incentives for attracting private investment, consolidating the region as the main center for wind and solar power generation in the country.