The CEBDS Leadership Council – made up of CEOs of associated companies – was in a delegation with the Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque this Wednesday (25). Led by the president of CEBDS, Marina Grossi, the group went to present the proposals of the CEBDS Agenda for a Sustainable Country, of which more than half deal directly or indirectly with the energy agenda.
“We opened up the possibility of a common agenda, based on the creation of a CEO forum and a working group together with the MME to accelerate the energy transition in Brazil, expanding renewable sources in the energy matrix and unblocking bottlenecks that currently delay this agenda,” stated Marina after the event.
In addition to Marina and technical manager Laura Albuquerque, coordinator of the Climate Thematic Chamber, the meeting was attended by the CEOs of Shell, André Araújo; Neoenergia, Solange Ribeiro; Alcoa, Otávio Carvalheira; Equinor's VP of Sustainability, Paulo Henrique Van Der Ven; Julio Jacob, from Iguá Saneamentos; Rodolfo Sirol and Gustavo Gachineiro, both from CPFL. For Laura Albuquerque, the meeting is extremely important in creating a joint agenda and implementing the CEBDS Agenda.
A Schedule CEBDS proposes actions for the transition towards a low-carbon economy, through legal frameworks that engage with technological innovation and financing mechanisms, such as the carbon market and sustainable credit criteria. The ideas contained in the document point to ways to modernize the way Brazilians live and produce, from resources such as water and electricity, to services such as transportation and credit, and the search for fair conditions in the labor market.
In the energy sector, there is an urgent need to increase the use of renewable sources and implement new energy efficiency policies to combat waste. According to the most recent data, renewable energy sources account for less than half (43.5%) of Brazil's energy matrix. Fossil fuels, which contribute the most to GHG emissions, still account for the largest share.
Brazil has comparative advantages over other countries due to its significant biodiversity, but despite its potential, the country saw its emissions grow by 12.6% in 2015 and 2016, even with a reduction in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.4% in the same period.
The country is experiencing an expansion of renewable energy. In two years, the number of solar panel installations has increased from 7,400 to 49,000 units throughout Brazil. The high cost of electricity and the reduction in the cost of equipment are some of the reasons for the rapid expansion of this technology. One of the projects that demonstrates this rapid growth is the project being implemented at Cadeg, in Benfica. More than five thousand photovoltaic panels form the largest solar roof in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
In a country of continental dimensions like Brazil, where there is an abundance of sunshine and strong, regular winds, renewable energy sources are a natural and desirable path for the country. As time goes by, the prices for implementing these systems tend to become more competitive, which ends up boosting these initiatives even more.
Consuming energy from clean sources has also proven to be a good option for companies, because it is an affordable solution for commerce and industry, and is the method chosen by many companies to reduce energy costs and their carbon footprint, which is a methodology created to measure greenhouse gas emissions, and also help achieve their sustainability goals. Several companies have invested in purchasing renewable energy through PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements), which is an electricity contract, similar to a regular contract in the free market. through contracts. CEBDS has a guide that provides an overview of the use of PPAs corporate renewable energy and the opportunities they present for companies in Brazil.
Council of Leaders
The CEBDS Leadership Council has established itself as an important driver of dialogue between company CEOs and the government at the municipal, state and federal levels. The Leadership Council has already prepared and launched two studies on the energy sector: one on renewable energy financing and another about energy efficient consumption. All these materials are characterized by in-depth analyses, are designed based on the exchange of knowledge between companies and public authorities and provide concrete solutions. Now is the time to join forces and implement them.
The Council is open to all member companies whose CEOs are willing to actively participate in meetings. If you want to be the first to know about new content and lectures promoted by the Council of Leaders and CEBDS as a whole, keep following our blog and become a member!
