Creator of the first electric vehicle with a cell
country's fuel, Ennio Peres bets on new matrices

'Brazil is Arabia
Saudi renewable sources'

CLAYTON LEVY

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A The adoption of public policies that prioritize the increase in renewable energy sources is an inexorable path throughout the world. The assessment is made by the coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Center for Energy Planning at Unicamp (Nipe), professor Ennio Peres da Silva, for whom the share of the fossil fuel market tends to be smaller and smaller. The change, already underway, is anchored in the diversification of the energy matrix. In the opinion of the professor, who also coordinates the project for Brazil's first fuel cell electric vehicle at Unicamp, although it is premature to make projections, environmental problems will hasten the changes. “It is out of the question for us to repeat in this century what we did in the last century, especially with regard to the burning of fossil fuels.”

In this scenario, the researcher assesses, the country has all the conditions to stand out, despite the crises caused by a lack of planning. “Brazil is the Saudi Arabia of renewable sources”, compares the professor, head of the “Gleb Wataghin” Institute of Physics. What may seem like exaggeration finds explanations in history and technological innovation. Peres recalls that, in the scope of renewable sources, the country has two classic examples of consolidated matrices. The first, in the area of ​​hydraulics, is the investment made in the 1920s on hydroelectric plants, today responsible for 95% of the electrical energy generated in the country. The other, the result of a project formulated and executed in Brazil, is Pró-Álcool, which put the country at the forefront of research related to biomass. In addition to the automotive use of liquid fuel (ethanol), the program yielded cutting-edge research regarding the use of sugarcane bagasse as an energy source. “While in the rest of the world the use of biomass is seen as an alternative source, Brazil already has several programs in place”, says the professor.

Another alternative for the country in the short and medium term is biodiesel, which has been used on a small scale in Europe and the United States. Its great advantage, explains Peres, is the social gain resulting from the increase in agricultural activities related to the generation of vegetable oils. “Castor and oil palm crops, for example, could employ a lot of people in the Northeast. We are studying the implementation of projects in this regard.” In the environmental aspect, biodiesel emits smaller amounts of sulfur, in addition to “returning” the carbon dioxide removed from plants to the atmosphere, instead of adding it, as occurs with diesel. “One of the disadvantages is the price. Diesel is much cheaper”, he says.

According to the professor, an alternative source that has obtained excellent results is wind energy. In Europe, for example, it is the one that has shown the biggest increase in terms of megawatts installed per year, mainly due to reduced environmental impacts. “It still has a high cost, but incentive programs have caused the prices of these machines to drop significantly. There was a technological gain.” The programs are being massively implemented in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and also in the United States. Some European Community countries already have 5% of their energy generated by wind. The target for the medium term is 10%. In Brazil, however, the programs are still in their infancy and are mainly concentrated in the Northeast and in some stations in Minas and Rio Grande do Sul.

Like wind, another alternative source that has been used occasionally in the country is solar photovoltaic. Despite being expensive, it is competitive in some situations. “If you, for example, are going to extend a transmission line for kilometers to serve a few people, it is better to install photovoltaic panels”, suggests the researcher, adding that the source has also been used in technology niches, mainly in photovoltaic transmission antennas. cell phones and microwave trunks.

Hydrogen, with which the specialist works, is a long-term alternative and could be produced in several ways, so much so that European countries and the United States are investing heavily in the option. Peres explains that, until recently, there was discussion about whether hydrogen cars would have tanks with this gas or a fuel reformer on board. “You had gains on one side and the other. If your car uses pressurized hydrogen, you do not have to have the reformer on board to generate the hydrogen; The problem is that you don't have a hydrogen distribution network. And hydrogen in the car is more dangerous, in addition to the autonomy being shorter. If you put the transformer on board, you could use the conventional gas station network, but your car would be more expensive. On the other hand, it would have the advantage of being safer, as it is a conventional car,” he says.

Vega II - The researcher says that he opted for the second type in the development of the Vega II, the first vehicle of its kind in the country, precisely because it can use the ethanol available at gas stations. “Then we will remove the tank and install reformers. This is our strategy.” The option differs from that adopted by the United States, which decided to generate hydrogen from a fossil fuel. In the professor's opinion, the American decision involves a strategic issue. “After Kyoto, they are moving towards the 'sequestration' of carbon dioxide, that is, if I use fossil fuels but do not emit carbon dioxide, I am achieving the goals, not by that means, but by another. The USA today invests significantly in systems of this type.” This policy, notes the professor, is opposite to that chosen by the European Community, which is more interested in developing other technologies, especially renewable ones, and reducing the consumption of petroleum derivatives.

Another factor that weighs on the adoption of different policies is, in the expert's opinion, Bush's close connection with the oil companies, not coincidentally the financiers of the American president's political campaign. “This explains the fact that the USA has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol”, he says, remembering that these corporations dominate the world oil market. “They don’t have as much oil as they consume, but those who sell the product are the American companies themselves.”

Furthermore, it is precisely the interference of a political nature that takes away the professor's optimism when he is asked about the prospects for new energy sources. In the domestic field, for example, Peres says he is optimistic about our natural resources, but warns of a recurring problem when it comes to public policies. “Brazil is extremely rich, but our public and private institutions have an immense capacity to do stupid things. I cite two recent examples: the 2001 blackout crisis, which was perfectly avoidable; the other was the construction of gas-fired thermoelectric plants in the Northeast without us having the gas to run them.”

On the other hand, the researcher highlights the importance and quality of the work carried out by the public University, especially Unicamp. As coordinator of Nipe, he recalls that researchers have been approaching the energy issue as planners, betting on a systemic vision. “We have professors from various units working in all directions, prioritizing a multidisciplinary approach. We learned that diversification is fundamental”, he concludes.