InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.

org
doi:10.14355/ijes.2016.0601.01

StudyofEnvironmentalImpactsofWind
PowerPlantsAimingtoSupportPublicPolicy
inBrazil
WilsonPereiraBarbosaFilho*1,2,AblioCesarSoaresdeAzevedo1,AndreaBrandoAndrade1
AntonellaLombardiCosta2,RicardoBrantPinheiro2
FundaoEstadualdoMeioAmbiente(FEAM),2UniversidadeFederaldeMinasGerais(UFMG)Departamento
deEngenhariaNuclear
1

RodoviaAmricoGianetti,s/n,ed.Minas,CidadeAdministrativaTancredoNeves,CEP31630900 Av.Antnio
Carlos,6627,EscoladeEngenhariaCampusPampulha,CEP31270901,BeloHorizonte,MinasGerais,Brasil
*wilson.filho@meioambiente.mg.gov.br,abilio.azevedo@meioambiente.mg.gov.br,
andrea.andrade@meioambiente.mg.gov.br,antonella@nuclear.ufmg.br,rbrantp@gmail.com
Abstract
Thisarticlepresentsastudyaboutenvironmentalimpactsresultingfromtheconstructionandoperationofwindpowerfarms.
For this matter, a research innational andinternational literature reviews was carriedout, as well as technicalvisits to wind
powerplantsinseveralBrazilianstatesanddiscussionswiththeworkinggroupaboutenvironmentallicensingofwindmillsin
land surface of the Ministry of Environment, which FEAM (Fundao Estadual do Meio Ambiente Environmental State
Foundation)takespart,aimingtheformationofplans,projectsandwindpowerprograms,accordingtotheprovisionsofthe
Carta dos Ventos (Charter of Winds). These surveys were carried out in the last three years and used as base for the
implementationofrelevantworktothetheme.Thearticlediscussestheimpactsinbioticandphysicalenvironment,physical
and socioeconomic status, identifying the biotic environment,which results from the removal of vegetation, intervention
infauna, degradation of the affected area, changes in the hydrostatic level of aquifer, and still on the socioeconomic
environment,theissueofnoise,visualimpact,thecoronavisualorglare,theelectromagneticinterference,thestrobeeffectand
thelocalinterference.Thenoiseandthestrobeeffectcanharmthehealthofpeopleneartheplants,butthedistancecanavoid
such effects. The generation of electricity through wind farms has major advantages in reducing greenhouse gases and CO2
concentration during operation when compared with other sources. However, the environmental impacts coming from the
implementationandoperationofawindpowerplantcannotbeneglected.
Keywords
WindPower,EnvironmentalImpact,Energy

Introduction
Duetotheadvancementofhumanactivities,muchmorenaturalresourcesaredemandedindirectorindirectway,
andeventherewillbeseriousimpactsontheenvironment.Asaresult,theneedtoestablishstandardsandlegal
limitstoguidesuchprocessemerges.Therefore,theenvironmentallicensingwascreated,whichconsistsofatool
forconservingtheenvironmentoverhumandevelopment.Theenvironmentallicensingaimstoobtainthelicense
issuedbytheenvironmentalagency,statingthelocation,installation,expansionandoperationofenterprisesand
potentially pollutionalactivities. The environmental license is the permissiongiven by theState,for that specific
activity developed by individuals or legal entities (entrepreneurs), in a controlled manner, in order to avoid
irreparable damage to the environment, or even to allow the action of mitigation or compensation of damage,
having as focus, its preservation forthe presentand future generations. This license is required whenever the
activityisconsideredtobepollutionalorpotentiallypollutional,ascalledforinArticle225oftheConstitutionof
theFederativeRepublicofBrazilof1988(CF,1988).
Alllaws,editedpriortotheConstitution/88withwhichtheydonotconflict,wereapprovedbythelegalsystem
prevailing in an integral way, as is the case of the Federal Law N. 6938/1981 that establishes the Brazilian
EnvironmentPolicy.ThislawregulatestheFederalConstitutiononjurisdictionintermsofenvironmentalissues,

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

and provides that the environmental licensing should be coordinated by the competent environmental
organization(Federal,State,Municipal),anditiswiththeentrepreneurthemselvestogetitnecessarily.
Following the law N. 6.938/1981, the CONAMA (Conselho Nacional de Meio Ambiente Environment National
Council)RegulatoryResolutionsN.001/1986andN.237/1997areessentialstandardstoenvironmentallicensing,as
they guide the competent environmental organization, in terms of the administrative procedure to be followed.
Article1oftheNormativeResolutionCONAMA,ResolutionN.237/1997,definestheenvironmentallicensingand
environmentallicense.Theabovementionedstandarddefines,yet,initsArticle8,thattheenvironmentallicensing
process has three distinct stages: Prior License (LP), Installation License (LI) and Operating License (LO)
(CONAMA,1997).Eachoneofthemallowstheentrepreneurtodosomeactivities,butonlytheLOgrantsrightto
effectively start the activities characteristic of the enterprise:if it is the undertaking of significant environmental
impact,theventureshouldpresenttheEnvironmentalImpactStudyanditscorrespondingReport(EIAandRIMA,
respectively),beingfortheotherventuresrequiredmoresimplifiedstudies.Thesestudiesshouldbepresentedin
the LP step, which also defines mitigating measures and compensation, in order to establish the conditions for
whichtheprojectfitsinthemoldofsustainabledevelopment.
Electricitygenerationfromwindenergyhasprovedtobeincreasinglyinviting,notonlyforitsbeingarenewable
source,andalsobecauseitdoesnotshowthemagnitudeoftheenvironmentalimpactsoftenassociatedwithother
sourcesofenergyoftenused.However,theenvironmentalimpactsarisingfromtheimplementationandoperation
ofawindfarmcannotbeoverlooked
SeveralinvestigationsaroundtheworldhavefocusedtheattentiontotheimportanceofplanningissuesandEIA
processestoprovidesocialacceptabilityforwindfarms.Theactionsinvolveseveralaspectssuchasthereviewof
specificlaws,regulations,documentsandenvironmentalpolicies(Smartetal.,2014,Josimovicetal.,2014,Geiler
etal,2013).
This article presents a study about the environmental impacts resulting from the construction and operation of
wind power plants. For both, studies from the environmental impacts in the biotic and physical media and
socioeconomicstatuswerecompiled,notseekingtodraintheinformationrelatedtothetheme,buttocorroborate
withtheexistingstudiesandtoprovideinformationforthetechnicians,studentsandlaypeople,aimingtolearn
moreaboutthetopic.
State of the Art
Brazil already has one of the cleanest generator parks of the world, due to the fact that more than 65% of the
generated electricity comes from water, one of the cleanest and cheapest energy sources.At first, it may seem
difficult to obtain an increase in the hole of clean energy in the matrix, reducing to even lower emissions of
Braziliangreenhousegases(GHG)andotherpollutantsrelatedtothegenerationofenergy;however,itisnotorious
thatthistrendexistsanditobtainsamplitudeeachyear.
According to the Reference Center for Solar and Wind Energy, wind potential in Brazil reaches 143,000 MW
(Amarante et al., 2001), as presented in the AtlasdoPotencialBrasileirodeEnergiaElica Atlas of Brazilian wind
power potential, not includingin this calculation the potentialoffshore.It must be enhanced thatthisatlaswas
elaborated according to the electricity generation technology prevailing at the time limited to the low power
turbines installed up to 50 m height from the ground. As an example, it is the strong growth in wind energy
potentialoftheRioGrandedoSulState,whichrosefrom15,800MWin50mto115,200MWat100mheight.
CurrentdatashowasignificantincreaseintheinstalledcapacityofwindpowerinBrazilpointingoutatrendof
economicinternationalmarketandalsoforfinancialandtechnologicalinvestmentinBrazil.Thiscanbeseeninthe
Fig.1,whichdetailsthetotalpowerofeachBrazilianStateconsideringplantsinoperation,underconstructionand
alreadycontracted.
Sincetheimplementationofthecurrentsectorialmodel(2004),theenergyauctionshaveconsolidatedasefficient
mechanisms for promoting the expansion of generation, with a focus on inclusion of alternative and renewable
sourcesinBrazilianelectricitymatrix,enablingespeciallythegenerationofwindenergy.Thewindhadtakenthe
initialstepsinBrazilwiththeIncentiveProgramforAlternativeSourcesofElectricEnergy(PROINFA)initiative

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

launchedbytheBraziliangovernmentin2002,inwhichwindplants,biomassplantsandPCHs(littlehydroelectric
plants)soldtheirproductionfortheFreeTradeAssociationEGFinsubsidizedprices.In2009,aimingtoimpulse
thedevelopmentofwindfarms,areserveauctionwaspromotedtohireproductionandallowtheconstructionof
new enterprises in the sector. The result was an average selling price of R$ 148.39 per MWh, at that time,
representingdiscountof21.49%comparedtoR$189perMWhplacedasceiling.Inthefollowingyears,thewind
begantocompetewithbothreservationmodalitiesasintheA3auctions,whichcametobecalledalternative
sourcesfairs.Theratesofferedbyenterprisesdroppedyearbyyear,untiltherecordwasestablishedattheendof
2012.TheratesofwindmillswerebetweenR$87.50andR$88.68perMWh,andhassurpassedbyfarthelowest
pricealreadyregistereduntilthen,ofR$99.54inthereserveauctionof2011.In2013,4,710.6MWofenergyfrom
windsourceswerehired.Thus,bymeansoftheauction,thewindsourceswereinsertedbyacompetitivewayin
theexpansionofpowergeneration(EPE,2014).Figure2presentstheresultsofinstalledcapacity,sincethecreation
ofPROINFAin2002(1stPhase),by2013(PhaseofenergyauctionsorganizedbyEPE)andcontracteduntil2018.

FIG.1TOTALWINDPOWER(MW)BYBRAZILIANSTATE
SOURCE:MELOETAL.,2012

FIG.2EVOLUTIONOFINSTALLEDCAPACITYOFWINDPOWERINBRAZILANDPROJECTION.
SOURCE:SELFELABORATION

Figure3showsthegenerationcapacityofelectricitybywindintheperiodfromMarch2012toMarch2013,over3
lines,thatrelatetothe1stPhase(PrePROINFAandPROINFA),2ndphase(phasecompetitiveauctions)andtotal
(Melo et al., 2014). It was observed that in March 2013 the generation of 2nd Phase exceeded 10 MW
averagegenerationof1stPhase.Afteranalyzingthedataoninstalledcapacity,thegreatestgenerationwascarried
outbyphaseoflowerinstalledcapacity,i.e.the2ndPhase.Thisstemsfromthefactthatthecapacityfactorsfrom
therecentwindturbinesarelargerthanthosefromthe1stPhase(generationPROINFA),providinggreateruseof
winds(Simas,2012)

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

FIG.3WINDPOWERGENERATIONINBRAZIL(MW)
SOURCE:MELOETAL.,2014

TheassertioncanbeproveninthegraphicofFigure4,whichshowsthecapacityfactorinthesameperiod,thatis,
March2012toMarch2013,bymeansof2curves,whichrelatetothe1stPhase(PrePROINFAandPROINFA)and
2ndphase(phasecompetitiveauctions).

FIG.4CAPACITYFACTOR
SOURCE:MELOETAL.,2014

Thisfactorreferstothepotentialforenergygenerationplantsthatcanactuallybeharnessedandtransformedinto
electricity. In Brazil, the plants that are being hired must submit average indices for use in the order of 45%.
AlthoughhigherthanthoseoftheEuropeans,theselevelsofwindmillsutilizationinBrazilareconsideredlowif
comparedwithothersourcesofenergy.Forthisreason,itisimportantthattheseventuresaremonitoredaftertheir
entryintocommercialoperationtoensurethatthegoalssetoutintheprojectaremetandthevolumeofenergy
contractediseffectivelydelivered.
Anothercrucial factor for the development of wind energy in Brazil and worldwide is the technology, since the
turbinescapacityhasgrowninrecentyears,from50kWtoavalueabove9MW.Thisimprovementallowedthe
windpowerplantstobeapowerfulalternativefordifferentlevelsofdemand.
Thereisnopowergenerationwithoutenvironmentalimpacts;thereforeitisimportanttocombinelowpriceswith
fewerburdensontheenvironment.ThebighydropowerplantskeepofferingthelowestpricesofenergyinBrazil.
But on the other hand, the greatest potentials still available to the country are located in the Amazonas and
Tocantins/Araguaiabasins,bringingtwomainissueswemayconcern.AccordingtoAbbud(2012),thefirstissueis
thedistancebetweenthesourceofenergyandtheconsumingcenters,thatmakestheenergyexpensive,andthe
secondoneisthatbuildingpowerplantsinthoseareas,whichhaveaflattopography,tendstoincreasetheflooded
areas.Table1presentsacomparativeresearchonpricesofenergyaccordingtothesource.ThefixedcostsofTable
1aretheaveragepricesofNewEnergyAuctionsthatoccurredintheperiodbetween2005and2010,excludingthe
costsofwindpower,whichisthevaluereachedintheauctionof08/17/2011,thefirstonewherewindpowerhad
beenevaluated.ThevariablecostsofgenerationaretheaveragevariablecostsofthethermalenergyusedbyONS
(OperadorNacionaldoSistemaEltricoNationalOperatoroftheElectricalSystem)forthedevelopmentofReview3
oftheMonthlyOperationPlanofSeptember/2011(17to23/09/2011operativeweek).

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

TABLE1PRICESOFELECTRICITYBYSOURCES

VariableCost(US$/MWh)

TotalPrice
(US$/MWh)

Source

Fixedcost(US$/MWh)

Largehydroelectric

32.27

32.27

Wind

37.99

37.99

HydroelectricMidsize

56.26

56.26

SmallHydroelectricPowerPlant

60.64

60.64

ThermalNuclear

55.5

7.68

63.18

ThermalCoal

60.79

64.51

125.3

ThermalBiomass

65.41

63.8

129.21

ThermalNaturalGas

63.69

71.28

134.97

ThermalFuelOil

63.55

192.96

256.51

ThermalOilDiesel

63.55

240.47

304.02

SOURCE:ADAPTEDFROM(ABBUD,2012)

In Brazil, electricity generated by intermittent sources has priority in the power transmission network. In other
words,whenthewindfarmproducesenergy,theONSmanagingagencyfromtheSIN(SistemaIntegradoNacional
NationalIntegratedSystem)decreasesorevenstopsthepowergenerationfromothersources.Theuseofbatteries
tostorageenergyisnotusualinthoseplants;onlysystemsareisolatedfromthenet.InBrazil,itismoreusualthat
thestorageinbatteriesofsolarphotovoltaicenergyduetothelargesolarincidencealloverthecountry.Researches
demonstrate a great advantage to the combined use of these two technologies (Elhadidy e Shaahid, 1999),
especiallyforhotregions(Shaahid,2011).Inaccordingwithstudiesdeveloped,theuseofcombinedwindpower
anddiesel(ElhadidyandShaahid,2004,Shaahidetal.,2007)andwindpower,photovoltaicanddiesel(Shaahideet
al.,2010)decreaseintermittenceissuesarebeingstronglyrecommendedforisolatedsystems.
Given the decrease of rain fall in Brazil, and the consequent fall in the capacity of hydropower generation, the
possibilityofcombiningtwotypesoftechnologiesbecomesveryinteresting,suchaswindpowerwithphotovoltaic,
duetotheseasonalcomplementarityandtheemploymentoftransmissionnetworkshasalreadyexisted,avoiding
environmentimpactsthatwouldbecausedbybuildingnewinfrastructure(BarbosaFilhoetal.,2013).
Environmental Studies
In July of 2009, the Ministry of Environment (MMA), Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Forum of State
SecretariesforMattersofEnergyandotherauthoritiessignedtheCharterofWinds,whichsetsguidelinesforwind
energyinBrazil(FEAM,2015).
According to the directive VII brought by the Charter, the MMA was charged to define, together with the
member states, guidelines for improving the environmental licensing process inwind mills (MMA, 2010). This
ministry,then,inordertoevaluatetheproceduresofEnvironmentalLicensingandstandardizationofventuresof
generationofelectricalenergyfromwindsourceshasformedaworkinggroupwithorganizationsofenvironment
andoftheBrazilianInstituteofEnvironmentandRenewableNaturalResources(Ibama),sothattheseanalysts,by
means of systematic meetings and technical visits to wind mills in national territory, would define the studies
requiredfortheenvironmentallicensing.Inviewoftheconflictsidentifiedbytheworkinggroup,coordinatedby
the MMA, a draft resolution was held for consideration of the CONAMA, advisory body and deliberative
SISNAMA(SistemaNacionaldeMeioAmbienteNationalEnvironmentalSystem),whichofferstheNationalPolicy
on the Environment, specific to the environmental licensing of wind mills on land surface, that is compliant by
means of Process N. 02000.002302/201290(CONAMA, 2012).There also carried out Terms of Reference for the
developmentofenvironmentalstudies(EIA/RIMAandRAS)thatwillsupporttheexaminationofapplicationsfor
licensingand a survey about the environmental licensing in Brazilian States: Consolidation of Research on
LicensingofWindfarms(MMA,2010).

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

The FEAM, component of indirect administration of the Semad (Secretaria Estadual de Meio Ambiente e
DesenvolvimentoSustentveldeMinasGerais Office of the Secretary of State for the Environment and Sustainable
DevelopmentoftheBrazilianStateofMinasGerais),participatedtheworkinggroup,whichallowedasignificant
enhancement of technical knowledge related to the theme, and the preparation of documents available to the
publicbythewebsitehttp://www.feam.br/mudancasclimaticas(FEAM,2015):

Term of Reference for the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and its Environmental
ImpactReport(Rima)forwindpowerplants.

TermofReferencefordraftingReportofEnvironmentalControl(RCA)forwindpowerplants.

TermofReferencefortheelaborationoftheEnvironmentalControlPlan(PCA)forwindpowerplants.

TechnicalRelease2(Gemuc/Dped/Feam)TheUseofwindEnergyintheStateofMinasGerais:Technical
AspectsandtheEnvironment.

Sincethebeginningof2014,CONAMAevaluatedtheproposalsentbythediscussiongroupandrecently,inJuly
10th,theproposalbecameanorm.
Environmental Impacts
Theuseofwindpowerisconfiguredasanimportantalternativeforelectricpowergeneration,especiallywhenit
happenstodealwithexpansionofelectricmatrixandtheneedtoreducethegreenhousegasesemissionfromthe
energysector.Theenvironmentalimpactsgeneratedaremainlyrelatedtothevisualimpactandtheimpactonthe
faunaandflora.
MainImpactsontheBioticEnvironment
Forthebioticenvironment,themaincomponentsaffectedbytheoperationofwindpowerplantsare:

Flora due to its significant importance for the environmental quality, protection of the soil and natural
asset,whoseinterventionisdefinedthroughspecificlegislation;and

Faunaduetoitsimportancewithenvironmentalandnaturalindicatorsandthefragilityfacechangingin
thenaturalterrestrialandaquaticecosystems.

1) SuppressionOfVegetation
The construction of wind power plants can cause local impacts on flora and fauna during the construction
phaseandduringthetimeoftheenterpriseoritsholding;therecurrentimpactsaresuppressionofvegetation,
soilremovalandcompactionofthegroundduetothemachineries.Thedeforestationpromotestheabolitionof
environmentwithfaunaandfloraandthefragmentationoflocalecosystems(Meireles,2008).
2)Fauna
Wind power plant can affect directly and indirectly the birdlife representing risk of collision
withturbines(rotors,bladesandtowersofsupport);collisionwiththepowertransmissionlines;amendmentof
reproductive success; disturbance in migration (changes in the patterns of migration); loss ofhabitatfor
reproduction and feeding; amendment of movement patterns and habitat usedue to disturbance associated
withthepresenceoftheturbines.AccordingtoTolmasquim(2004),windventuresoutofimmigrationroutesdo
notdisturbthebirdlife,andtheytendtochangetheirflightroutebetween100to200meters,passingaboveor
aroundtheturbine.
Thewindturbinesrepresentamajorthreattothepopulationsofbats.Therotationoftheturbinescausesadrop
in atmospheric pressure in the region near the end of the blades, and when a bat is replaced by this low
pressurezone,itslungsuffersasuddenexpansion,resultingintheruptureoflungcapillariescausinginternal
hemorrhage,somethingsimilartothatwhathappenswithdiverswhoexperiencesuddenchangesofpressure.
Althoughsomeareaffectedbydirectstrikingbatteringbypropellersoftheturbines,themaincauseofdeathis
thissuddenpressuredropwhichclosestothestructuresofthewindturbines.Thebirdsarelessimpactedthan

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

bats, because, thanks to its more robust respiratory system, they do not suffer from the problem of
depressurization(VilleyMigraine,2004).
Paintingpadsinmorevisiblecolorcanincreaseitsvisibility,reducingthenumberofcollisions.Butintermsof
mortality of birds, the location of the plant wind is the most important aspect. The correct location of wind
venturescanreducethenegativeeffectsontheenvironmentinsomefaunagroups.However,thestudieswith
focusontheseimpactsarestillrecent.Thedeploymentofwindpowerplantscanresultininterferenceofthe
terrestrial fauna, first to achieve their habitats, and, second, by the increase in movement and noise in the
implementationphase,whichtendstoscareoffthewildlifetootherlocalities,whichmaysufferfromtrampling
ontheroads.Butitisnotedthereturnofterrestrialfaunawillapproachattheendoftheworks.Technicalvisits
carriedoutinlandareasthatreceivedtheconstructionofwindpowerplantshaveshowngoodconvivialityof
animalswiththetowers.
MainImpactsonthePhysicalEnvironment
Themainelementsofthephysicalenvironmentsubjecttotheeffectofdeploymentandoperationofthisprojectare:

WaterResourcesInthelightofthepossiblerisksofchangingthequalityofthebodyreceiverbythe
additionofthegenerationofsanitarysewersduetotheincreaseinthenumberofemployees,andby
any sedimentation processes triggered by changesin superficial structure and subsurface
soilgenerated in phase of the works, and by the possible improper disposal of wastes and industrial
andsanitaryeffluentsduringtheoperationphase;
Soil and Subsoil Due to thepossible changes that may occur in the structures of the soil and to the
risks of contamination by improper disposal of chemical substances (solid waste, industrial products
andeffluents);
AtmosphereAsafunctionoftherisksofairpollutionbytheemissionofdustandparticulatematter,
due to excavation and movement of vehicles and machinery during the phase of construction and
operationoftheproject.

1) DegradationofAffectedArea
Thewindmillswheninoperationorintheprocessofinstallationcandegradeconsiderablytheareaoccupied
duetotheprocessesofdeforestation,topography,andearthworksnecessaryforthecreationandmaintenance
of a network of access roads to the turbines. The impacts generated by earthworks are related to activities of
withdrawal and burial of plant cover, transversal and longitudinal cuttings and landfills, opening of access
roads, maneuvering area for trucks, mechanical shovels and track tractors, and preparing the ground for the
installation of the construction site. Another impact is the introduction of sedimentary material for soil
waterproofingandcompaction,whenthestageofthedeploymentprocessistoprovidethevehicletrafficonthe
networkofaccessroadstowindturbines,atthejobsite,thedepositofmaterials,theofficeandthewarehouse.
Thedeploymentofwindpowergeneratingplantscancauseinterferenceinarchaeologicalsites,whichbrings
theneedof,inadditiontoprecedentstechnicalstudies,themonitoringoftheaffectedarea.
2) GreenhouseGasEmission
The generation of electricity through wind power plants shows great advantages during its operation when
compared with other sources of power, due to less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lower CO2
concentration.AccordingtoDonesetal.,(2003),emissionsofthecompletechainofseveralelectricitygeneration
systemsforwindsourcedemonstrateanorderofmagnitudemuchlowerthanthethermalpowerplants.Alvim
etal.,(2010)investigatedseveralsourcescyclesusinginternationalparametersadaptedtoBrazilianconditions
andtheresultsarebasicallythesametodirectemissions.However,tothecycleemissions,theyfoundemission
factorsvaluesperpowergeneratedmuchhigherthannaturalgasandoilbyproducts.Table2showsemissions
before,duringandafterthegeneration,inthiscaseaftermeaningthefacilitydeactivation.Escapeemissions,so
calledforbeingresultofGHGescape(mainlymethane)duringthedifferentstagesofthegenerationcycle,are
alsopresented.

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

TABLE2DIRECTANDINDIRECTEMISSIONSINELECTRICITYGENERATION(x103kgco2/kwh)

AggregateSteps

Nuclear

Coal

NaturalGas

Bagasse

Dieseloil

Fueloil

Wind

Photovoltaic

Amount

19.1

7.4

26.3

49

76.3

66.1

15.4

105

Generation

0.8

1262

465

755

725

5.4

Downstream

7.8

0.2

0.6

0.4

1.3

Escape

0.1

76.3

31.5

Total

27.8

1346

523

49

832

792

21

105

Subtotalwithout
generation

27.0

83.9

58.4

49.0

77.3

67.4

15.4

105.0

SOURCE:ADAPTEDFROM(ALVIMETAL.,2010)

3)AmendmentofHydrostaticLevelofAquifer
Theactivitiesofearthworkscanchangethehydrostaticlevel,influencingtheflowofundergroundwater,since
thecutsandembankmentspossiblywillbesubmittedtotheengineeringworksforthestabilityofslopesand
tracks compressed to provide continuity of traffic of trucks. Another factor that threatens the aquifers
hydrostaticlevelistheproductionofconcreteforthewindtowersfoundations,sincethereisahighvolumeof
material to be used. In other words, there is interference with the availability of water due to the high
consumption of water in the manufacture of concrete.The set of environmental impacts can interfere in the
controloferosion,inthehydrostaticdynamicsandavailabilityoffreshwater,removalofhabitatsandchanges
inlandscapelinkedtoscenicandleisureaspects.
MainImpactsonSocioEconomicEnvironment
Asregardsthesocialeconomicenvironmentthemainelementssubjectedtoimpactsduringthephasesofplanning,
implementationandoperationare:

PopulationandLandUseInrelationtothenewtrendsoflanduseduringthephaseofdeployment
andoperationoftheproject.

Infrastructure Regional Structure Checking the main public instruments that may be affected,
accordingtoanewdemand(increaseinthenumberofworkers);

Tax Collections values to be collected by the municipality, State and Federation in phase of
deploymentandoperationoftheproject,whichwillreturninbenefitsforpopulation;and

Labor Market New jobs to be generated for the municipality during the phase of deployment and
operationoftheproject.

Theadvantagesconferredonwindenergyhighlightsthefactthatitdoesnotusethewaterasakeyelementforthe
generationofelectricalpower,doesnothaveradioactivewastesorharmfulgasesemissions.Inadditiontothese
aspects, it is important to point out thatapproximately 99% of the area used for the deployment of wind power
plant can beused for other purposessuchas agriculture, livestock, etc. The main negativeimpacts on the socio
economicenvironmentcausedbythegenerationofwindpowerarerelatedtothefollowingaspects:theissueof
noise,visualimpact,coronavisualorglare,electromagneticinterference,strobeeffectandlocalinterference.These
aspects can be minimized or even eliminated through planning and appropriate studies, coupled with
technologicalinnovations.
1) NoiseEmission
Thewindturbinesproducetwotypesofnoise:thenoiseofmechanicalgearsandgenerators,andaerodynamic
noise from the blades. The mechanical noise has been virtually eliminated through insulation materials. The
aerodynamicnoiseisproducedbytherotationofthebladesgeneratingahissingsoundcausedbythespeedof

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

thetip.Modernwindmillsarebeingoptimizedwithscopetoreducetheaerodynamicnoise.
Thenoiseinsideoraroundawindpowerplantvariesconsiderablydependingonanumberoffactors,suchas:
thelayoutoftheplant,thetypeofturbinesinstalled,themound,thespeedandthedirectionofthewindand
backgroundnoise.Theincreaseinemissionsofsoundofwindturbinesisrelatedwithincreasingwindspeed.
However, the background noise that normally increases faster than the sound of the turbine which tends to
mask the noise of the turbine with the growth of the wind speed. Noise levels decrease as you increase the
distancebetweenwindturbinesandaremostcommonlyexpressedindB(A),decibelsmeasuredinthescaleof
compensationofmeter(decibel),asitisthescalethatmostcloselyapproximatesthehumanperceptionofnoise.
Theestimatesofthenoiselevelsinfuturewindmillsareofextremeimportanceinordertopredicttheimpactof
thenoise.Whentherearepeoplewholivenearawindpowerplant,specialcaremustbetakentoensurethat
thesoundofwindturbinesisatareasonablelevelinrelationtothelevelofambientsoundinthearea.Because
of the wide variation in the levels of individual tolerance to noise, there is no completely satisfactory way to
measuretheirsubjectiveeffects,orthecorrespondingreactionsofannoyanceanddissatisfaction(Stewart,2006).
Theindividualannoyancetonoiseisaverycomplexissue,butstudieshaveshownacorrelationbetweennoise
annoyance and the interference and visual characteristics of intrusive sound. In the same way, the bother is
greaterintheruralareathanintheperipheryandalsohigherincomplexterrain,incomparisonwiththeflat
ground in a rural environment (WindFacts, 2012). Low frequency noise(LFN), also known as infrasound, is
used to describe the sound energy in the region below 200 Hz. TheLFN can cause discomfort and
inconveniencetosensitivepeopleandthereforehasbeenwidelyanalyzed.Themostimportantfindingisthat
themodernwindturbineswithrotorplacedagainstthewindproduceverylowlevelsofinfrasound,usually
belowtheperceptionthreshold(Stewart,2006).Resultsofinfrasoundmeasurementsofwindturbinesconclude
that, with turbinesupwind, theinfrasound can be neglected in the assessment of environmental effects
(JacobsonandMasters,2001).
Noise emissions are regulated by technical standards of ABNT (Associao Brasileira de Normas Tcnicas
Brazilian Association of Technical Standards) N.10,151 (ABNT, 2000)and N. 10,152 (ABNT, 1987). Several
studieshavedemonstratedthedangersofthistypeofdecibelstohumanhealth.DecibelsoftypeBandC,called
infrasound, although inaudible are feltas a vibration in the body, even inside the houses can be harmful to
healthasmuchasormorethanthetypeA,andcancauselackofsleep,nausea,dizziness,headaches,increased
bloodpressure,aggressivenessandothers.Anobserver,ifexposedforashorttimewhenthenoiseislimitedto
aninstantperceptionofthem,butisunabletotakeontheactuallongtermeffects.Theexposuredistributedfor
aperiodoftime,atleast,twoweekscancausethemajorityofeffectsonhumans.Theimpactsofnoisedepend
on several factors: direction and strength of the wind, height and type of wind, topography, air pressure,
obstaclesandspecificphysicalphenomena(Stewart,2006).
TheFrenchEnvironmentalAgency,AgencedelEnvironnementetdelaMatrisedelEnergie,suggestsaminimum
distance of 250m between the wind tower and a human residence, being however, this distance defined in
publichearing(MEEDDM,2010).TheNationalAcademyofMedicineofFranceandtheUnitedKingdomNoise
Associationrecommendedadistanceof1.5km(VilleyMigraine,2004).Severalstudiesreportedacommonset
of adverse effects on the health of people who live close to wind turbines. These symptoms started after the
operationofwindpowerplants,andinclude:sleepdisorders,headache,ringinginears,earpressure,nausea,
dizziness, tachycardia, irritability,problems with concentration and memory panic episodes with pulsing
sensationorinternalshakythatarisewhenpeopleareawakeorsleeping.
Thesedisordershavetheirmaincauseintheeffectoflowfrequencynoisefromwindturbinesintheorgansof
the inner ear. In Table 3,it is presented asummaryof researches conductedabout the distance to bedefined
between the wind tower and residences, being these values, for the most part practical, because not all were
regulated.
Despiteofthelackofconclusivestudies,theprecautionaryprinciplecanjustifytheterminationoftheoperation
ofanywindplantininhabitedareas,evenifthelocalcommunityhasaccepted.

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

TABLE3DISTANCEFROMTHETOWERTOTHEHOMESPOLICYADOPTED

COUNTRY

Distancefromthetowertothehomes/Policyadopted

Belgium

150to500meters

CzechRepublic

400to800Meters

Denmark

4timestheheightofthetower

France

250to500meters,accordingtoADEME

Germany

TranquilRegion(35dB(A)):1,0001,500m
MiddleRegion(40dB(A)):6001,000m
DefaultRegion(45dB(A)):300600m

Italy

Some regions have set distances, others do not.CalabriaandMolise: 5times the height of the
tower.Basilicata:2,000meters.Campania:10timestheheightofthetower.Molise:20timestheheightofthe
tower.

Netherlands

4timestheheightofthetower

NorthernIreland

Minimumof500meters

Romania

3timestheheightofthetower,andwillbelessasdecisioninpublichearing

Scotland

BankendRigg(awaitingapproval):littlemorethan1,000m
Chapelton(awaitingapproval):750m
Dungavel(awaitingapproval):1,000m
Whitelee(built):approximately1,000m
GathercauldCeres(awaitingapproval):572m
Auchtermuchty(approved):650m

Spain

National: legislation applied as a function of the level of noise. Regional: the policies of wind power are
varied.Examples:Valencia:1,000metersofanypieceoflandthatcanbeexploited.Andalusia:500meters.

Sweden

Applicablelegislationonthebasisofthelevelofnoise(40dB(A)).Inpractice,usesis500meters.

UnitedKingdom

There is a bill with the following content: if the height of the wind generator turbine is greater than 25
meters,butdoesnotexceed50meters,thereisrequirementofminimumdistancefor1,000meters;greater
than50meters,butdoesnotexceed100meters,thereisrequirementofminimumdistancefor1,500meters;
greaterthan100meters,butnottoexceed150m,thereisrequirementofminimumdistancefor2,000meters;
greater than 150 meters, the requirement of minimum distance for 3,000 meters. The height of the wind
generatorturbineismeasuredfromthegroundtotheendofthetipofthebladeatthehighestpoint.There
isnorequirementforminimumdistanceiftheheightofthetowerdoesnotexceed25meters.

Switzerland

Documentation ofSuisseolementions300 m from thetower,buteachCantonis stillworkingon itsown

policy.
SOURCE:FEAM,2013

2) VisualImpact
Themodernwindturbines,withheightsoftowersabove100mandlengthpaddlesabove30m,areofcoursea
visualchangeoflandscape.Thestudiesofenvironmentalimpactmustidentify,describeandassessthedirect
andindirecteffectsoftheprojectonthelandscape.
Note thatthevisual impact decreases with distance. The areas of theoretical visibility can be defined as
(UniversityofNewCastle,2002,apudWindFacts,2012):

10

ZoneIVisuallydominant:theturbinesareperceivedaslarge,themovementofthebladesisobvious.
Theimmediatelandscapeischanged.Distanceupto2km.
Zone II visually intrusive: the turbines are important elements in the landscape and are clearly
perceived.Themovementofthebladesisclearlyvisibleandcanattracttheeyes.Theturbinesarenot
necessarily the dominant points in vision. Distance between1and 4.5 km, in conditions of good
visibility.

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

Zone III Remarkable: the turbines are clearly visible, but not intrusive. The wind power plant is
perceivedasanelementinthelandscape.Themovementofthebladesisvisibleingoodconditionsof
visibility,buttheturbinesseemsmallintheglobalpicture.Distancebetween2and8km,dependingon
theweatherconditions.
ZoneIVElementinlandscapedistant:theapparentsizeoftheturbinesisverysmall.Theturbinesare
likeanyotherelementsinthelandscape.Themovementofbladesisusuallyimperceptible.Distanceof
morethan7kmaway.
Althoughthevisualimpactisveryspecifictothesite,inawindpowerplantspecificallysomefeaturesinthe
designanddeploymentcanbeidentifiedtominimizetheirpotentialvisualimpacts:

Thesizeandtypeofsimilarturbinesinawindpowerplantorseveraladjacent.

Theselectionofdesignofwindturbines(tower,color)inaccordancewiththelandscapecharacteristics.

Selectionofneutralcolorpaintandantiglarefortowersandblades.

Camouflage Paintwork next to military installations, to avoid that thewindmillsconstitute reference

points.

Theuseofthreebladesrotatinginthesamedirection.

Thepanoramavisualimprovementwiththedistributionofturbinesinline.

3)VisualCoronaorGlare
Visual Corona or glare is the amountof electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface,
whichcanbeminimizedusingmattepaintingsinthetowersandblades.
4)ElectromagneticInterference
The turbines, in some cases may reflect the electromagnetic waves. This implies that they can interfere and
disrupttelecommunicationssystems.Theelectromagneticfieldsofwindturbinescanaffectthequalityofradio
and telecommunications, as well as communications, microwave, cellular, internet and satellite transmission.
The impact assessmentshould addressthe problem, but cannot always guarantee the safety of optimal
distribution of the magnetic field. The electromagnetic interference with the aeronautical communication will
notbeaproblemcreatedbywindplant,providingthattheprojectcoversaminimumdistancefromtheairport,
and also an area of bondage radio action of wind tower in relation to the route of navigation of
aircraftdeterminedbythecompetentagency.
5)StrobeEffectoftheWindTurbines
Thestrobeeffectisduetothepassageofthebladesbeforethesunthatoccursatthebeginningorattheendof
the day when the sun is lower in the sky. The degree of intermittent shading depends on the distance of the
tower, the latitude of the location, time of day and year. What becomes more relevant the smaller is the
distanceofthepaddlesandthereceiver,aswellasthefactofbeinginasamealtitude.
According to Pires(2011), the intermittent shading can cause discomfort and harm people who suffer from
epilepsy,inadditiontonauseaandheadachesinresidents.Theeffectisfeltatadistanceuptotentimesofthe
diameter of the paddles anddepends on the direction of wind turbines for homes. The effect is well
documentedinseveralcountriesoftheworld,howeverbadlyregulated.
6)InterferenceLocations
For the population located in the surrounding area of direct influence, the most significant impacts of the
implementationofthewindfarmconstructionworksarethelocalinterferenceandtheexpectationscausedby
therealizationoftheproject.
Thedeploymentmaycausetemporarydiscomforttolocalpopulation,aswellasmayinterferewiththedaily
life of the local community: increase of the vehicles flow, noise pollution, insecurity in transit, temporary
increase in local population density,generation of employment and promotion of economic activities.The
increase in the flow of vehicles, especially of heavy goods vehicle, can generate danger to drivers for any
deviationsanddisruptionoftraffic.

11

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

To decrease the disorders, the engineering firm responsible for the execution of the works must draw up a
detailed plan of the procedures related to the movement of vehicles, by establishing a schedule to guide the
flowoftheseinarationalway,asthesignalingoftheworks,thenecessaryisolationfacilities,safetydevices,
andeventhedisseminationtothecommunitiesofactivitiesthatmightinterferewiththetraffic.Inthisplanthe
ability to support the deck must also be observed, which carries as much as possible compatible loads, thus
preventingdamagetothepavingofroads,aswellastheresidences(EPA,2007).
Forpartialortotaluseofexistingroadaccesses,inadditiontoatransportationlogisticplane,improvementsin
those roads should be evaluated to ensure the permanent nature of traffic, including amendments and new
constructionsinroadinfrastructure.Theseimprovementsmaybealegacyoftheprojecttothelocalpopulation,
sincethatcanfacilitatetheflowofgoodsandaccesstoproperties.Thetemporaryincreaseinlocalpopulation
densityisworrying,becauseitcanleadtoseriousissuesaslackofhousing,vandalismandprostitution.Then,it
isnecessarytoimplementaplanofmeasureswhichshouldbeimplementedbythecompanyresponsibleforthe
worksandthelocalmunicipality,aimingtosoftentheseproblems,toraiseawarenessofthepopulationandthe
employeesandtoensurepriorityofemploymenttothelocalpopulation(FEAM,2013).
Anotherimpacttobemanagedbythecompanyresponsiblefortheexecutionofworksisrelatedtosolidand
liquid waste from the activities of the jobsite and constructive activities. The solid waste must be managed
properly according to its characteristics, i.e. distinguishing the hazardous waste, noninert waste and inert
waste.Tomitigatethisimpact,theProgramofEnvironmentalManagementofSolidandLiquidWasteshould
beimplemented,whichwillcoverthedesignandconstructionofwastewaterandtheachievementofaservice
contract with a licensed company to the collection of the waste generated in the implementation of the wind
powerplant.Inregardtothewastefromtheconstruction,thenormativeinstructionspackaging,transportand
finaldisposalofdifferenttypesofwastegeneratedduringconstruction,inparticulartheCONAMAresolution
N.307/2002.shouldbefollowed.
Results and Discussions
Asshowninthispaper,windfarmsarenotasdegradingashydropowerorfossilfuelplants.However,wefound
thattwoissuesmustbecarefullyanalyzedtodetermineitsenvironmentalimpacts,thelocationandthedistance
betweentheplantandurbancenters.Theworkinggroupmentionedbeforecorroborateswiththispointofview,
whichwasalsoincludedinCONAMAResolutionN.462adoptedon24July2014thatlaysdowntheprocedures
forenvironmentallicensingofelectricitygeneratedfromwindpowerplantsonlandssurface.
CONAMA Resolution N. 462, in its third article, seeks to solve the normative conflict established by CONAMA
ResolutionsN.01/1986andtheN.279/2001.TheCONAMAResolutionN.01/1986,Art.2,provides:
Article2DependonthedevelopmentoftheEnvironmentalImpactStudyanditsEnvironmentalImpactReportRIMA,
to be submitted for approval to the competent state agency, and to IBAMA in a supplementary nature, the licensing of
activitieswhichmodifytheenvironment,suchas:
XlPlantsofelectricitygenerationwhatevertheprimaryenergysource,above10MW;

The CONAMA Resolution N. 279/2001, that establishes procedures for simplified environmental licensing of
electricalprojectswithasmallpotentialofcausingenvironmentalimpacts,bringsonitsfirstarticle:
Article1TheproceduresanddeadlinesestablishedinthisResolutionareapplicableatanylevelofcompetence,tothe
simplifiedenvironmentallicensingofelectricalplantswithlowenvironmentalimpactpotentialincluding:
IVWindPowerPlantsandotheralternativeenergysources.

Asexplained,thedivergentnormativetheninsertslegaluncertaintyforpractitioners,likewhoshoulddetermine
whatasmallportis,eitherthetechnicianhimselforthelegaltextitself.Legalcertaintydependsontheapplication,
or rather the obligation of the law. This statement proves that the legislator should strive to meet the social
expectationsatthetimeofdraftinglawsasthese,understoodhereasasetofstandards,includingtheprincipleof
legalcertaintyinorderthattheymakeupandguidesthelegalsystem.Thisprincipleconsistsintheobjectiveside,
representedbylimitedretrospectiveapplicationandprotectionoftheactsmadebeforethesubsequentchangesin

12

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

legislation;andthesubjectiveside,representedbytheprincipleofprotectionoftrust,wherebythestabilityoflegal
relations is linked to the preservation of legitimate expectations arising in society, on the legitimacy of acts
emanatingfromtheadministration.
Inthissense,thenewruleapprovedintroducesinitsthirdarticlethetermlocationasaparametersettingwhich
willnotbeconsideredlowimpact,requiringforthosesubmittingEnvironmentalImpactStudyandEnvironmental
ImpactReport,inadditiontopublichearings.
Aspresentedintheenvironmentalimpactstudy,thedistanceof1.5kmshouldbeobserved,takingintoaccount
thestrobeeffectandothereffectsreported.Thestandardizationofthelegalframeworkrelatedtorenewableenergy
isimportanttodefinetheroleoffederalagenciesinthepermittingprocedures.
Conclusion
Thegenerationofelectricityfromwindpowerhasbeenincreasinglyinviting,mainlybecauseitdoesnotpresent
themagnitudeofenvironmentalimpactstypicallyassociatedwithotherenergysources.
However, the environmental impacts coming from the implementation and operation of a wind power plant
cannot be neglected. The location of the plant and the distribution of the wind turbinesmust be defined on the
basisofestablishedenvironmentalstudy.Aftertheconstructionphasethereisanaturaltendencyforrecoveryof
vegetation, which favors the return of wildlife habitat. Other interesting points observed are the environmental
educationprojectsandmonitoringoftheareaplantthatcaneventuallybringtourismtothemunicipality.
Itisimportanttoemphasizethattheeconomicreturngeneratedbyleasinganduseofareaswithinfarmsishighly
attractive, and does not necessarily preclude that ceases to exploitation ofagriculture, livestock, or otheralready
existingactivities.Severalfarmshavesoughttoincorporatewindparks,inordertoincreaserevenueandimprove
thesafetyoftheirsurroundings.
Thewindmillsnotonlyrepresentelectricitygenerationwheretheyareinstalled,butalsoastrongsocioeconomic
development,suchastheincreaseofdirectandindirectjobs,incomeandlocalimprovements.Coincidentally,the
Brazilianareasofgreatestpotentialforgeneratingpowerofwindarelocatedinpoorregionsorpoorlydeveloped,
withloweconomicactivityandvarioussocialdeprivations.Anotherpositiveaspectwemusthighlightisthatafter
thewindpowerplantsbegintowork,weobserveanincreaseofmunicipalandstateinflowsthatfocusesonenergy
marketandlanduse.Thistendstodecreasethepopulationexodus,andusualphenomenoninpoormunicipalities.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are grateful to the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the Fundao de Amparo
PesquisadoEstadodeMinasGerais(FAPEMIG)forthesupport.
REFERENCES

[1]

Abbud, O. Por que hidreltricas (com reservatrio) so a melhor opo para o Brasil? 2012. Available at:
http://www.brasileconomiagoverno.org.br/2012/07/10/porquehidreletricascomreservatoriosaoamelhoropcaopara
obrasil/.Accessat:Jan202015

[2]

ABNTBrazilianAssociationOfTechnicalStandards.NBR10,151AcsticaAvaliaodorudoemreashabitadas,
visandooconfortodacomunidadeProcedimento,ComitBrasileirodeConstruoCivil,RiodeJaneiro,Brasil,2000.

[3]

ABNTBrazilianassociationoftechnicalstandards.NBR10,152Nveisderudoparaconfortoacstico,Comissode
EstudodeAcstica,RiodeJaneiro,Brasil,1987.

[4]

Alvim,C.F.,Ferreira,O.C.,Guidicini,O.M.,Eidelman,F.,Ferreira,P.A.,Bernardes,A.S.Comparaodaemissode
gasesdeefeitoestufa(GEE)nageraonucleardeeletricidadenoBrasilcomasdeoutrasfontes.Economia&Energia,
YearXV.,N.79,2010.

[5]

Amarante,O.A.C.,Brower,M.,Zack,J.,S,A.L.AtlasdoPotencialolicoBrasileiro,CRESCESB,CentrodeReferncia
paraEnergiaSolareElicaSrgiodeSalvoBritto,Braslia,2001.Availableat:

13

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

[6]

http://www.cresesb.cepel.br/publicacoes/download/atlas_eolico/Atlas%20do%20Potencial%20Eolico%20Brasileiro.pdf
Accessedat:Jan22014.

[7]

Barbosa Filho, W. P., Azevedo, A. C. S., Xavier, M. V. E. Study of complementarity between wind and hydropower
schemes for the state of Minas Gerais. I Latin American Hydro Power and Systems Meeting. Centro de Convenes
UNICAMP,October2931,2013,SoPaulo,Brasil,2013.

[8]

CF

Constituio

da

Repblica

Federativa

do

Brasil

de

1988,

1988.

Available

at:

http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/constituicaocompilado.htm.Accessat:Dec20.2014.
[9]

CONAMA,

CONAMA

Resolution

N.

237/1997,

1997.

Available

at:

http://www.mma.gov.br/port/CONAMA/res/res97/res23797.html.Accessat:Dec20.2014.
[10] CONAMA, Process N.02000.002302/201290 Environmental licensing of wind ventures Motion for a resolution on
environmental

licensing

of

generation

projects

wind

energy

in

earths

surface,

2012.

Available

at:http://www.mma.gov.br/port/CONAMA/Accessat:Jan72015.
[11] Dones,R.,Heck,T.AndHirschberg,S.Greenhousegasemissionsfromenergysistems:comparasionandoverview,p.37,
inPSIAnnualreport2003AnnexIV,PaulScherrerInstitute,Villigen,Switzerland,2003.
[12] Elhadidy, M. A. and Shaahid, S.M. Feasibility of hybrid (wind + solar) power systems for Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
InternationalJournalofRenewableEnergy,Vol.16,970976,1999.
[13] Elhadidy, M. A. and Shaahid, S. M. Role of hybrid (wind + diesel) power systems in meeting commercial loads.
InternationalJournalofRenewableEnergy,Vol.29,109118,2004.
[14] EPA

Environmental

Protection

Agency.Wind

Energy

Development

in

Region

8,

2007.Available

at:http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/WindEnergyDevelopmentInReg8Draft19Dec07.pdf Access at:

Jan2015.
[15] EPE Company of Energy Research.Auctions Purchase of Electric Energy, 2014. Available at:
http://www.epe.gov.br/leiloes/Paginas/default.aspxAccessJan112015.
[16] FEAM,OfficialWebSite,2015.Availableat:http://www.feam.br/mudancasclimaticasAccessJan302015.
[17] FEAM,Technical Release no. 2 Utilizao da Energia Elica no Estado de Minas Gerais; Aspectos Tcnicos e o Meio
Ambiente.

Technical

Document,

Belo

Horizonte,

Brazil,

2013.

Available

at:

http://www.feam.br/images/stories/materia/comunicado_tecnico2_gemuc.pdfAccessat:Jan262015.
[18] Geiler, G., Kppel, J., Gunther, P. Wind energy and environmental assessments A hard look at two forerunners
approaches:GermanyandtheUnitedStates,RenewableEnergy,Vol.517178,2013.
[19] Jacobson, M. Z. and Masters, G. M.Exploiting Wind Versus Coal Science,Vol. 293, no. 5534, p. 1438, DOI:
10.1126/science.1063376,2001.
[20] Josimovic,B.,Petric,J.andMilijic,S.TheUseoftheLeopoldMatrixinCarryingOuttheEIAforWindFarmsinSerbia,
EnergyandEnvironmentResearch,Vol.4,N.1,4354,2014.
[21] MEEDDM,Ministry ofiecologie, deienergie, du developpement durable et dela mer.Guidede ltudesdimpact sur
lenvironnement

des

Parcs

oliens,

2010.

Available

at:

http://www.developpement

durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/guide_eolien_15072010_complet.pdfAccessat:Jan262015.
[22] Meireles, A. J. A. Impactos Ambientais Promovidos pela Implantao e Operao de Usinas Elicas em reas de
Preservao Permanente (APP`s) Os Campos de Dunas Fixas e Mveis da Plancie Costeira do Cumbe, Municpio de
Aracati,2008.Availableat:http://wp2.oktiva.com.br/portaldomarbd/files/2010/08/usinasEolicas_impactos__CUMBE2.pdf
Accessat:Oct11.2014.
[23] Melo,E.,Santos,R.,Yamamoto,S.TheenergypoliciesandlegalframeworkregulationofBrazilianmarketforrenewable
energy.FrumNacionalNovosCaminhosdoDesenvolvimentoBrasil:VisodePaseImpulsoCompetitividade,para
AvanarnaRotadoDesenvolvimentoeViabilizaroAproveitamentodeGrandesOportunidades,September1920,Riode
Janeiro,2012,Availableat:www.forumnacional.org.br/trf_arq.php?cod=EP04520Accessat:Jan262015.

14

InternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016www.ijesci.org

[24] MMAMinistriodoMeioAmbienteeAmazniaLegal,PesquisaSobreLicenciamentoAmbientaldeParquesElicos,
2010. Avaiable at: http://www.mma.gov.br/estruturas/164/_publicacao/164_publicacao26022010101115.pdf Acess at: Out
20.2014.
[25] Pires, L. F. A.Parques elicos EOL Alegria I e EOL Alegria II Gerenciamento Ambiental e das Linhas de Produo,
SeminarBrazilWindpower2011,1and2Sep.2011,RiodeJaneiro,Brasil,2011.
[26] Shaahid, S. M. Review of Research on Autonomous Wind Farms and Solar Parks and their Feasibility for Commercial
LoadsinHotRegionsInternationalRenewableandSustainableEnergyReviewsJournal,Vol.15,n.8,38773887,2011.
[27] Shaahid, S. M., ElAmin, I., Rehman, S., AlShehri, A., Ahmad, F., Bakashwain, J. and AlHadhrami, L. M. Techno
economic potential of retrofitting diesel power systems with hybrid windphotovoltaicdiesel systems for offgrid
electrificationofremotevillagesofSaudiArabia,InternationalJournalofGreenEnergy,Vol.7(6),632646,2010.
[28] Shaahid, S. M., ElAmin, I., Rehman, S., AlShehri, A., Ahmad, F. and Bakashwain, J. Dissemination of offgrid hybrid
winddieselbattery power systems for electrification of isolated settlements of hot region. International Journal of
SustainableEnergy,26(2),91105,2007.
[29] Simas,M.S.EnergiaelicaedesenvolvimentosustentvelnoBrasil:Estimativadageraodeempregospormeiodeuma
matrizinsumoprodutoampliadaMasterThesis,UniversityofSoPauloUSP,SaoPaulo,Brazil,2012.
[30] Smart,D.E.,Stojanovic,T.A.,Warren,C.R.IsEIApartofthewindpowerplanningproblem?,EnvironmentalImpact
AssessmentReview,Vol.49,1323,2014.
[31] Stewart, J. Location, Location, Location,An investigation into wind farms and noise byTheNoise Association, The
NoiseAssociation,2006.Availableat:http://www.countryguardian.net/Location.pdfAccessat:Jan20.2015.
[32] Tolmasquim,M. T.Alternativas Energticas Sustentveis no Brasil 1sted., Rio de Janeiro,Ed. Relume Dumar, 487 p.,
2004.
[33] VilleyMigraine,M.Eoliennes,soundsetinfrasons:ofdeleolienindustrielsurlaSantedeshommes,2004.Availableat:
http://docs.windwatch.org/villeymigraine_eoliennesinfrasons.pdf.Accessat:Jan262015.
[34] WindFacts,WindEnergyTheFacts,2012.Availableat:http://www.windenergythefacts.org/index2.htmlAccessat:
Jan262015.

Wilson P. Barbosa Filho was born in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, in 1962. He is graduated in Civil Engineer at PUC Minas
(2005), MG, Brazil and Law at University Salgado de Oliveira (2013). Barbosa Filho got his specialization in Strategy
Management and Quality at UCAM (2009), Environmental Law at PUCMinas (2012) and his MSc Degree in Environmental
ManagementandAuditatEuropeanUniversityMigueldeCervantes(2013).
Currently,heisPhDstudentofProgramNuclearScienceandTechniquesofDepartmentofNuclearEngineeringatUFMG.
MScBarbosaFilhoworksasenvironmentalanalystofFEAM,MG,Brazil.
Ablio C. S. Azevedo was born in Araguari, MG, Brazil, in 1950. He is graduatedin Civil and Sanitarian Engineer at UFMG
(1975).
Eng.AzevedoworksasenvironmentalAnalystofFEAM,MG,Brazilsince1982.
AndreaB.AndradewasborninBeloHorizonte,MG,Brazil,in1982.AndradeisgraduatedinForestEngineeratUFV,Brazil
(2005).ShegotherMScDegreeonForestrySciencesalsoinUFV,Brazil(2007).
Eng.AndradeworksasenvironmentalanalystofFEAM,MG,Brazil.
AntonellaL.CostawasborninBeloHorizonte,MG,Brazil,in1971.CostaisgraduatedinPhysicsattheUFMG,Brazil(1999).
She got her MSc Degree on Nuclear Engineering in the UFMG, Brazil (2000), and the PhD degree on Nuclear and Industrial
SafetyattheUniversityofPisa,Italy(2007).
Currently, she works as professor and researcher at the Nuclear Engineering Department of the UFMG, Brazil. She has
experienceonminoractinidestransmutationinnuclearsystems,neutronicandthermalhydraulicvaluation,researchreactors,
renewableresources.

15

www.ijesci.orgInternationalJournalofEnergyScience(IJES),Volume6Issue1,2016

Prof.CostaisalsoamemberoftheNationalScienceandTechnologyInstituteofInnovatorsNuclearReactors,Brazil.
Ricardo B. Pinheiro was born in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, in 1939. Pinheiro is graduated in Electrical and Mechanical
EngineeringattheUFMG(1963).HegothisNuclearEngineeringSpecialization(1964)alsointheUFMGandtheDoctorDegree
intheFacultdesSciencesdOrsay,UniversitdeParisXI(1968).
He worked as researcher at the National Commission for Nuclear Energy of Brazil and Empresas Nucleares Brasileiras SA
Nuclebrasforabout35yearsinReactorPhysicsandReactorTechnology.Hecoordinatedseveralprojectsmainlyrelatedwith
thoriumutilizationinPressurizedWaterReactors,reactorsafetyandreactorcomponenttesting.
Since 1997, Prof. Pinheiro works as associate professor at the Department of Nuclear Engineering, UFMG, Brazil. He gives
lessonsonenergyplanning,energyresources,exergeticanalysisofenergyconversionsystemsandnuclearengineering.

16