Brazil - renewable energy and forest preservation
BK Energia Itacoatiara Power plant

• Itacoatiara is a power plant that uses waste wood from sustainably managed forests as a fuel, replacing electricity generated from polluting diesel generators.
• Renewable energy is generated for an area in the Amazon with a population of around 80,000.
• Waste wood is used from about 450,000 hectares of sustainably managed and FSC certified Amazon forest. Sustainable harvesting means that no more than 5 trees are harvested per hectare every 25 years and that low-impact logging techniques are applied in order to preserve the wildlife and to protect the forest canopy. In addition, 25% of the forest is set aside for absolute preservation and access to the forest is controlled to prevent illegal deforestation and the hunting of endangered species.
• The project’s other main environmental benefit is to protect an area of forest of around 1,800 square miles – roughly three-times the size of Greater London.

• Carbon emissions are reduced by around 165,000 tonnes per year. This is equivalent to the domestic energy emissions of a UK town of 60,000 people such as Scarborough.