Balanço, análise de emissão e seqüestro de CO2 na geração de eletricidade excedente no setor sucro-alcooleiro

Abstract

Throughout recent years, greater interest has been observed in developing activities of research on environmental problems related to CO2 emissions. The Kyoto Protocol, carbon market aims to minimize the effects of the increased emissions of this gas as it alows incentives for developing countries not to adjust to a high CO2 energy matrix. This work studies the carbon dioxide emission and capture balance in the sugar and alcohol sector. Through a life cycle analysis methodology of surplus electricity production the CO2 balance is calculated. The results obtained show that 145.3 tons CO2/hectare are sequestered during sugarcane cultivation and 111.5 tons CO2/hectare emitted for electricity production, resulting in a viable capture balance scenario of 33.8 tons od CO2 per hectare of plantation in one life cycle of surplus electricity production. This CO2 cenário is even more attractive if the electricity can be generated in substitution for fossil fuels. It can be seen that the cultivation of sugarcane biomass allowed a positive value to be obtained for the CO2 absorption during the process studied. In comparison with other forms of electricity generation, the enenergy produced in sugar mills presents the lowest values of CO2 emission, not considering bagasse that is combusted for production of heat and electricity for the sugar and alcohol production process.