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This work discusses the economic viability of photovoltaic systems usage in distributed generation of electricity and its possible impacts on electrical network. We present the current situation and perspectives of distributed generation in Brazil. Besides that, we developed a financial analysis of grid-tie photovoltaic systems, considering factors such as local solar radiation and conventional energy cost, using data from the National Agency of Electrical Energy (ANEEL). Overall, the usage of photovoltaic systems in Brazil is economically attractive. Despite this, we have to discuss the impacts on the electrical network that might happen due to energy supply variability and economic losses of electric companies and users. However, we show that there is still a lot of room for development of photovoltaic systems in Brazil, especially within regions with high solar radiation.

The scope of this study is comprehensive, extending from technological development to historical evolution of planning in energy sector. On policy, the current situation of the national context was clarified, including reforms and programs that characterized the industry in the last two decades. The adherence of Brazilian policy to the evolution of the energy and climate policies at the international level was obtained with the examination of more than ten countries and with the chronological comparison of the regulatory framework in Brazil, the United States and the European Union. The most interesting, however, was to see how planning and policy can be shaped by technical progress, albeit belatedly. This finding followed the examination of the technological dimension, divided in twelve branches of energy generation, which allowed a glimpse of the diversity of alternatives, as well as the real chances of achieving truly sustainable technologies.

The objective of the present study is to estimate the factors that influencing global agricultural production, as well as to assess the technical efficiency of countries, taking account the context of climate change. The problem is: are countries that seek productive solutions to increase productivity and competitiveness the most efficient in a sustainable production logic? It is believed that the countries that increased the most production were those that intensified the emission of GHG (Greenhouse Gases), which leads to associate the false interpretation that growing countries pollute more. The hypothesis to be tested, therefore, is: the countries that grew the most (or increased production) were those that used the most technology that sequesters carbon, increasing its technical efficiency. To do this, a Stochastic Frontier model was used, based on the 1992-2014 data from 118 countries, available from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the World Bank and the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO). The study show that sustainable solutions in agricultural production, which increase the capacity of CO2 capture by soil, imply an increase in productive efficiency and that these measures are not fully disseminated worldwide, only in countries listed as more technically efficient.

The transition to a low carbon energy mix presents particularities regarding the starting point, the relevance of emissions from the energy sector, the objectives and instruments used by the countries. Apart from the Brazilian case, the BRICS have a high share of fossil sources in the energy mix. Analyzing the trends of the transition vectors, BRICS countries are still lagging behind in the diffusion of renewables vis-à-vis the leading countries, but the efficiency gains associated with the expansion of modern sources have been significant in the last 40 years. China has shown a strong commitment to reducing emissions and the scale of renewable energy programs is remarkable. The high share of renewable sources characterizes the Brazilian transition, where the new renewable sources, wind and solar, have the role of compensating for the loss of hydroelectric share. India and South Africa combine the transition goals to those of social inclusion through access to electricity. The abundance of fossil resources entails less engagement of Russia in the transition. Complementarities and similarities in the energy transition process result in opportunities for cooperation between the BRICS and there is much room for a joint energy transition strategy.

The objective of this paper is to analyze the implications of the economic, strategic and political transformation of the Brazilian energetic scenario, considering their possible impact on the country's international insertion. For this purpose, a global energy outlook will be presented, which discusses the role of key players in the sector recent developments in oil prices and the participation of the different energy sources in global supply. Subsequently, the article will analyze the geopolitical importance of oil, nuclear and ethanol industries evolution in Brazil, highlighting trends and debates in each segment. The analysis concludes that the effort to avoid energy constraints to the development process, besides having achieved diversification of the energetic matrix and self-sufficiency, started off relevant institutional and technological progress in the various energy industries, which created the conditions that, currently, made the country emerge as a relevant net energy exporter.