Resumo:
In the past decades, the concern with the exhaustion of oil reserves and the significant
changes in the climate caused by the increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases
(GEG) in the atmosphere have encouraged researchers from all over the world to develop new
ways of generating energy out of renewable sources.
Technically speaking, great progress has been achieved and, also, world policies
aiming at the reduction of gas emissions have been developed.
The Kyoto Protocol is the best known of these policies, which among countless rules
demand a 5% reduction in the emission of the GEGs based on the emissions released in 1990
by the countries that are participating in Attachment I, which is the most controversial and
difficult goal to be achieved..
In order to help Attachment I Countries to accomplish their goals, the Protocol created
three flexibility mechanisms and only the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows
Brazil’s participation.
The CDM allows projects that avoid, reduce or capture greenhouse gases and that are
developed in non-Attachment I countries to be certified and for this reason they can receive
financial compensations for avoiding, reducing or capturing greenhouse gases from the
atmosphere.
This work intends to show that with this new source of income projects aiming at
renewable energy, especially Small Hydropower Plants, can have their feasibility and
financial viability improved.
