Homework 12

Sub Secretary of Energy of Sao Paulo- Milton Lautenschalger

            On Tuesday, July 23, we visited with the Sub-Secretary of Energy of Sao Paulo, Milton Lautenschalger. We learned about the current renewable energy usage in the state of Sao Paulo as well as plans in the works for the future of the state. From his talk I learned that Sao Paulo state is leading Brazil in being a clean energy state, with 60% of its renewable energy being generated from biofuel, 37% from hydroelectric power, and the remainder from wind and solar. For biomass, they are utilizing sugarcane as opposed to corn as in the US. 50% of this production is geared towards food and the other half towards the production of biofuel, burning all the remainders as energy for making the ethanol. The state is also working towards converting their public transportation from diesel to flex fuel vehicles. Currently in Sao Paulo there are no wind generation plants even though the area has significant potential for wind power since the average wind speed is 6.5 m/s. This power source could be advantageous for both the use in the grid and for independent generators in rural locations. The same goes for solar radiation power; the state has large potential for this to be a viable source of energy production. Besides renewable energy, Lautenschlager discussed natural gas use and potential in the state. Sao Paulo is opposed to fracking for natural gas and currently is getting their supply of natural gas from privatized sources or importing from Bolivia. They’re using the US as an example of what not to do with fracking and its negative potential effects. In 2009 PEMC passed a climate change law, the Paulista Plan, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% and get renewable to 69% by 2020 through biofuel, wind, and solar.

Sao Joao Landfill

On Thursday, July 25, we visited the Sao Joao Landfill as well as a smaller nearby landfill that currently does not produce energy. The first one we visited has only been in operation for approximately a year and has yet to start convert landfill gas to energy due to its young age as well the finances required for production startup. The process required to convert this gas is extremely expensive and as seen with the Sao Joao landfill, the plant would likely not break even. Their only option for financial security would be to work with the Kyoto Protocol which provides tax credits for independent businesses energy production. The second landfill, Sao Joao, we visited did in fact convert their landfill gas to energy. At the Sao Joao landfill, they harvest the landfill gas, methane, as both a means for energy production as well as to decrease the emitted methane gas into the atmosphere which is a major contributor to global warming. I think that this hasn’t been implemented in the US for several reasons. One being that Brazil has unique trash which is rich in organic material compared to the US which contains a lot of packaging in their trash. Because of this, the US has less carbon in their trash meaning less energy per ton of trash. Financially, if Brazil is currently not breaking even with their trash and its carbon content, the US will likely make even less of a profit.