Development of predictive methodologies to mitigate the degradation of lithium-ion batteries in electric buses: applications in sustainable mobility

• Grant number: 24/23796-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Madson Cortes de Almeida
• Grantee: Johanna Patricia Orellana Iñiguez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11380-5 - CPTEn - São Paulo Center for the Study of Energy Transition, AP.CCD

Abstract

The urgency of transitioning from a fossil fuel-based global economy to one powered by low- or zero-carbon energy sources, driven by international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, although necessary for sustainable development, may generate negative side effects, such as exacerbating preexisting inequalities. Some of the specialized literature in the area highlights the need to better understand the social implications of the energy transition and the importance of incorporating equity and justice considerations into energy and climate policies (Carley, Konisky, 2020). Based on this scenario, this research plan seeks to understand the social implications of this transition in the Brazilian context, such as the worsening of energy poverty. The research proposes to study the regulatory solutions and the legal viability of these energy transition initiatives.The nature of energy poverty is multidimensional and its identification is linked to the lack of adequate and affordable access to energy services, especially in vulnerable populations, generating negative socioeconomic impacts (Gomes, 2018; Streimikiene, Kyriakopoulos, 2023). A Brazilian example that illustrates the possibility that the energy transition, if poorly managed, could increase energy costs for the poorest is the cross-subsidy policy applied to micro and mini distributed generation of electricity (Dutra, 2023). This tariff model benefits those who can invest in clean energy sources, while financially burdening those who cannot, exacerbating inequalities.The justification for this research plan is based on three central pillars. First, the fight against poverty is a broadly consensual issue, but divergences lie in the means to achieve this objective. The proposal is based on the principle that the State must play an active role in regulating and promoting energy justice, in line with the idea that sustainable development requires a balance between environmental, social and economic dimensions. Second, the research is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those involving the eradication of poverty, access to clean energy and the construction of effective institutions.Third, the research is also supported by the Brazilian constitutional framework, which aims at social development and the elimination of inequalities. The 1988 Constitution, described as transformative, requires an active role of the State in promoting development and social justice, including the protection of fundamental rights and the social function of property. In this sense, the research aims to explore how the Brazilian legal system can be used to mitigate the negative impacts of the energy transition and promote policies that do not deepen energy poverty, but rather combat it. (AU)