Environmental licensing challenges for the implementation of photovoltaic solar energy projects in Brazil

摘要

The demand for solar sources of electrical energy is increasing in the Brazilian electricity market. Investments in the sector are expected to significantly increase, thereby creating a demand for a reliable environmental licensing process. Analysis of the international regulatory frameworks allows for a critical comparison to national-and state-level frameworks. The results obtained via this comparison have helped to identify different assessment criteria that can be used to define the typologies for environmental studies for the Brazilian states included in this study, and to show the subjectivity of the process. The development of guidance regulations is also recommended to establish more universally applicable criteria. The proposed adjustments aim to reduce the risks of delays, unexpected costs, and availability of the projects, thereby increasing reliability for electricity sector planning, the investors, and the consumers.