Multicriteria environmental analysis for choosing alternative sources of electricity in isolated areas: the case of the Pantanal, Brazil

Multicriteria environmental analysis for choosing alternative sources of electricity in isolated areas: the case of the Pantanal, Brazil

Universal access to electricity in isolated areas is a social imperative and a substantial challenge for service providers. One such area is the Pantanal, which is one of the world's largest wetlands and located in the central-west region of Brazil. The energy supply to this region is complex n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Impact assessment and project appraisal Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 471 - 479
Main Authors: Blanc, Gleiciane F. C., Ferronato, Ellen C. P., Santos, Juliano J. S., Hack, Robson O. E., Bastos, Leonardo P., Oliveira, Maurício B., Miranda, Tânia L. G., Salas, Cresencio S. S., Silveira, Letícia H. S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 02-11-2019
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Access
alternative energy
Alternative fuels
Alternatives
Decision analysis
Decision makers
Decision making
Electricity
Electricity distribution
Electricity generation
Energy generation
Environmental aspects
Feasibility
Feasibility studies
Flooding
Floods
Fossil fuels
MCDA
Multiple criterion
Pantanal
Power
Preservation
Remote areas
socioenvironmental indices
Solar power
weighted sum
Wetlands
Brazil
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Summary:Universal access to electricity in isolated areas is a social imperative and a substantial challenge for service providers. One such area is the Pantanal, which is one of the world's largest wetlands and located in the central-west region of Brazil. The energy supply to this region is complex not only due to technical aspects but also, and primarily, because of environmental issues such as large areas under environmental preservation and seasonal flooding. To incorporate environmental feasibility into decision-making for the electricity supply to remote areas, a survey of the environmental aspects of several supply alternatives was performed. Solar, wind and fossil-fuel power generation sources and the expansion of the conventional power grid were considered. Using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), these alternatives were scaled, scored and weighted to develop socioenvironmental indices, which express the socioenvironmental impact of the supply alternatives in the affected areas. The results, presented in the form of georeferenced maps, are essential for identifying and measuring the existence and scope of impact of the supply alternatives and represent an important support source for decision-makers.
ISSN:1461-5517
1471-5465
DOI:10.1080/14615517.2019.1583922