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Correlation between electric energy use and CO2 emissions in a university campus in Brazil

  • Antonio Manoel Matta dos Santos Lameirão , Marcelo Jasmim Meiriño ORCID logo and Marcio Zamboti Fortes ORCID logo EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: August 27, 2021

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the correlations between greenhouse gas (GHG) by CO2eq emissions and the use of electricity on the Praia Vermelha campus of the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) located in Brazil. The study favors understanding and management for the sustainability of the campus operations. The research used electricity consumption data from 2017 to 2019 and quantitative and qualitative data collected in 2020, through online research applied at Praia Vermelha campus. An exploratory and descriptive study, providing familiarity with the problem and deepening knowledge about the phenomenon, seeking a correlation between variables and proposing reflections. We observed a reduction in electricity consumption on the campus in the period surveyed from 2017 to 2019, however, there wasn’t proportional and significant reduction CO2eq emissions in the period between 2018 until 2019. During this period occurred fluctuations in the dispatches of the different power generating plants, considering renewables and fossils sources. We also found that most of survey respondents agree with to implementation of incentive programs and the dissemination of information about GHG emissions on campus to promote the engagement of the academic environment in the efficient use of electricity. We found few peer-reviewed studies dealing with GHG emissions generated in South American universities. Through a bibliographic review, we investigated the commitment of the universities to sustainability and the management of efficient use of electric energy, as well as the methodology for calculating indirect GHG emissions, in CO2eq, related to purchase energy from the System National Interconnected System (SIN) of Brazil.


Corresponding author: Marcio Zamboti Fortes, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Passo da Pátria St., 156, E-431 room, São Domingos, 24210-240, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, E-mail:

Funding source: UFF Permanent Sustainability Commission

Funding source: National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)

Award Identifier / Grant number: 430119/2016-0

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank to the UFF Permanent Sustainability Commission and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) – Number: 430119/2016-0.

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: The study was supported by the UFF Permanent Sustainability Commission and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) – Number: 430119/2016-0.

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Received: 2021-04-22
Accepted: 2021-08-06
Published Online: 2021-08-27

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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