August 17, 2021

01:08

Bruno Pacheco – from Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – An unprecedented study published by Escolhas Institute and conducted in partnership with Escolhas the International Center for Renewable Energy (CIBiogás-ER) revealed the potential for biogas production in all states of the Legal Amazon with the use of solid waste (garbage), of fish farming and cassava. According to the research, biogas in the region can generate clean energy and benefit about 2 million people.

The survey entitled “Biogas: clean energy for the Amazon” showed that the Amazon has a potential to generate 537 million cubic meters of biogas, which can be produced annually in the entire region, being possible to originate 1,1 TWh of electricity. This amount of energy, according to the research, is enough to supply 556,000 homes throughout the Amazon.

For the researchers, with this amount of energy it would be possible to supply 38% of the electricity that is currently consumed by isolated systems, the majority of which are located in the Amazon and are not connected to the rest of the country.

“These systems generate local energy by plants that burn fossil fuels, such as diesel oil, which, in addition to being polluting, are expensive. The costs are about R$ 7.6 billion per year, paid by all Brazilians in their electricity bills”, says an excerpt from the research, which reminds us that biogas is a clean energy produced locally and that it allows to diversify the country’s energy matrix, decentralizing the generation.

In States

The survey shows that Pará is the state with the greatest potential (31%) for the production of biogas in the Amazon, with the generation of 168 million cubic meters per year, enough to generate 349 GWh of electricity and supply 174,000 homes, benefiting 706,000 people.

Maranhão, according to the study, concentrates 21% of the biogas potential among the states of the region, and can produce 113.4 million cubic meters of biogas per year and generate 235 GWh of electricity, enough to supply 117,400 homes and benefit 466,000 people.

Also according to the survey, Amazonas is the third with the greatest potential (14%) for biogas production among the Amazon states, with the capacity to generate 77 million cubic meters of biogas per year. This quantity represents enough to generate 161 GWh of electric energy and supply more than 80 thousand residences, benefiting 348 thousand people, more than the populations of Parintins, Itacoatiara and Manacapuru together.

Next to Amazonas is Mato Grosso, with 14% of biogas production potential. According to the study, the state can produce 77 million cubic meters of biogas per year, enough to generate 160 GWh of electricity and supply 80,000 homes, benefiting 262,000 people or 40% of the population of the capital, Cuiabá.