WEO-2013 Workshop on Brazil Energy Outlook

Background

The World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency’s flagship publication, presents authoritative energy market analysis and projections, including critical insights into trends in energy demand and supply and what they mean for energy security, environmental protection and economic development. As a key part of the 2013 edition, the IEA is conducting a comprehensive analytical study of the energy outlook for Brazil, with the support and close cooperation of the Government of Brazil.

Brazil’s energy sector has developed in a distinctive and innovative fashion to meet the needs of a rapidly growing economy. Harnessing the country’s vast natural and agricultural resources, Brazil has an enviable record in promoting the deployment of renewable sources of energy, most notably with the very high share of hydropower in electricity supply and the leading role for biofuels in the transportation sector. Brazil has shown strong leadership in its focus on improving household access to electricity. And the country’s readiness to explore new frontiers for the energy sector is now set to take a new direction with the discovery and development of huge pre-salt oil and gas deposits in the deep offshore.

This picture puts Brazil at the cutting edge of debates over many different aspects of energy policy: how Brazil meets the challenges ahead will have implications not just for the future of one of the world’s largest economies, but also for energy systems and policies in many other countries. This high-level workshop is intended to bring together policymakers, industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the issues confronting Brazil as it develops its energy sector, with a particular focus on the following questions:

• Which policies and sectors will have the largest impact on the pace of energy consumption growth in Brazil? What is the outlook for the use of biofuels?
• Which policies, investments and infrastructure are required to ensure a timely, reliable and affordable expansion of electricity supply?
• What are the challenges and costs of developing new deepwater oil and gas resources?
• How might Brazil’s role within regional and global energy markets evolve, and what might be the implications for energy security and environmental sustainability?

The results of this workshop will provide essential input to the key findings and messages of the 2013 World Energy Outlook. The meeting will be informal in nature and held under the Chatham House Rule, according to which participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. Each session will be introduced by invited experts and followed by a roundtable discussion. Attendance is by invitation only.