Energy access, embryonic urbanity, and development in Amazonian villages

Authors

  • Antônio César Pinho Brasil Júnior PhD in Thermal Sciences and Energy, Professor, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9528-9449
  • Rafael Castilho Faria Mendes PhD in Mechanical Sciences, Professor, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0438-9506
  • Manuela Tobaldini Environmental Management Degree, Project Manager, Hubz - Management, Business, and Innovation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3163-1095
  • Raimundo Nonato Júnior PhD in Geography, Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3685-6631
  • Louna Saigot Master's Degree in Cooperation and Development in Latin America, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2964-0967

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v16n3.2025.60512

Keywords:

Electrification, Social Progress Index, Hybrid Energy Systems, Amazonian Local Development, Embryonic Urbanity in Amazon

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between electrification, sustainable development, and emerging urban structures in small villages of the western Brazilian Amazon. These communities, usually with one to five thousand inhabitants, present an early stage of urban consolidation that depends on reliable infrastructure to sustain wellbeing and socio environmental resilience. Using the concept of embryonic urbanity and the Social Progress Index as analytical references, the study evaluates how electricity access influences education, health, economic activity, and community organization. A case study of Caiambé, in the municipality of Tefé - western Brazilian Amazon, investigates the transition from a diesel-based power plant to a hybrid solar and battery system. Field observations and municipal indicators show that hybridization reduces fuel consumption, increases energy security, and strengthens SDG7 objectives. The results support low carbon strategies for isolated systems and offer guidance for improving the Luz para Todos with decarbonization program.

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Author Biographies

Antônio César Pinho Brasil Júnior, PhD in Thermal Sciences and Energy, Professor, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil

Antonio Brasil Junior is a Full Professor at the University of Brasília (UnB), Brazil, and a senior researcher at the Laboratory of Energy and Environment. His academic appointments are jointly held at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Center for Sustainable Development. His research focuses on thermosciences and sustainable energy systems, with particular emphasis on renewable and hybrid energy solutions for isolated and environmentally sensitive regions. He has extensive experience in interdisciplinary research at the interface of energy, technology, and sustainability, with a strategic focus on development models for the Amazon and Pantanal biomes. A significant part of his academic activity is dedicated to France–Brazil cooperation in higher education, research, and innovation, contributing to joint projects, institutional partnerships, and capacity-building initiatives between Brazilian and French universities and research organizations. His work supports the design and assessment of low-carbon technological solutions that promote energy access, environmental preservation, and sustainable development.

Rafael Castilho Faria Mendes, PhD in Mechanical Sciences, Professor, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil

Associate Professor in the Aerospace Engineering program at the University of Brasília (UnB). He holds a PhD in Mechanical Sciences from UnB (2020), a Master’s degree in the same field (2015), and a Bachelor’s degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Brasília (2013). His work is focused on fluid mechanics and renewable energy, with an emphasis on the development and optimization of technologies for the energy transition. His research lines are directly related to the challenges of energy transition and decarbonization, encompassing the design and development of turbine rotors and the study of flow behavior under different configurations of wind and hydrokinetic turbine arrays. He conducts research on the modeling and characterization of turbulent flows, integrating experimental and numerical approaches. He has solid experience in wind tunnel experimental techniques and in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, applied to the development of innovative technological solutions for the sustainable expansion of the energy matrix, with emphasis on distributed generation, low-carbon systems, and applications in isolated and environmentally sensitive regions.

Manuela Tobaldini, Environmental Management Degree, Project Manager, Hubz - Management, Business, and Innovation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Manuela Tobaldini has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG, 2023) and a Technical Degree in Sanitation from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Santa Catarina (IFSC, 2018). She currently works as a Project Management Technician in the renewable energy sector at Hubz – Management, Business, and Innovation, providing support to the coordination and implementation of research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) projects. She has experience in Environmental Sciences, with an emphasis on environmental management and sustainability. She has worked as a student researcher in the extension project Sustainable Paper Recycling at the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina (2018) and as a scholarship holder in the extension project Awakening Urban Socio-Environmental Agents at the Federal University of Rio Grande (2019–2020). Her professional interests focus on solid waste management, recycling, sustainability, and technical support for the implementation of innovative solutions within the context of energy transition and sustainable development.

Raimundo Nonato Júnior, PhD in Geography, Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil

PhD in Geography from Sorbonne Paris Cité University (Université Paris 3), France (2016). He is a faculty member in both undergraduate and graduate programs in Geography and Education at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil. He is a researcher at the Center for Marine Studies (NIRMAR/UFRN), where his work focuses on regional planning, geography education, and geopolitical studies, with particular emphasis on European Union–Latin America relations. His academic career is marked by strong international engagement, especially in scientific cooperation between Brazil and France in the field of Geography. He is actively involved in international research projects, academic exchange initiatives, and the development of collaborative research networks, contributing to scholarly dialogue on territorial development, regional policies, and geopolitical processes at both regional and global scales.

Louna Saigot, Master's Degree in Cooperation and Development in Latin America, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France

Master in Geography from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, obtained within the framework of an academic cooperation program with the Laboratory of Energy and Environment of the University of Brasília (UnB) and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). He is involved in the planning and coordination of field missions, as well as in the analysis and discussion of local sustainability indicators, contributing to interdisciplinary studies focused on territorial development and the assessment of sustainable policies and solutions.

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Published

2025-12-28

How to Cite

Brasil Júnior, A. C. P., Mendes, R. C. F., Tobaldini, M., Júnior, R. N., & Saigot, L. (2025). Energy access, embryonic urbanity, and development in Amazonian villages. Sustainability in Debate, 16(3), 275–298. https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v16n3.2025.60512

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2025): Sustainability in Debate

Section

Articles - Varia

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