Adilson de Oliveira

Is the World Bank approach to structural reform supported by experience of electricity privatization in the UK

Facing financial crisis, and in some cases deteriorating performance, developing countries are being recommended by the World Bank to privatize their electricity systems. While reform is necessary and private capital may help solve financial problems, the experience of privatization in the UK electricity system suggests that privatization in developing countries is unlikely to be accompanied by much competition. This in turn suggests a need not for a straightforward rolling back of the state in developing countries but rather the development of new forms of state activity both in organizing, and in the longer term regulating, the new, privatized institutional structure.

Reassessing the Brazilian alcohol programme

Abstract The Brazilian alcohol programme is the only large attempt to substitute biomass for oil. It emerged with the oil crisis but since the collapse of oil prices in 1986 its future is in jeopardy. In fact, there are two alcohol programmes, one using anhydrous alcohol mixed with petrol and another that uses hydrous alcohol as a substitute for petrol. The former programme remains competitive while the second needs large subsidies. A comprehensive review of the Brazilian alcohol programme is needed that preserves its use of anhydrous alcohol mixed with petrol and progressively reduces the use of hydrous alcohol.

South Cone energy integration: a look from Brazil

Purpose – The paper intends to offer an understanding of the regional energy integration in the South Cone of Latin America as perceived in Brazil.Design/methodology/approach – It assesses the Brazilian need of energy imports to balance its supply to demand and then reviews the strategy followed by successive Brazilian governments in order to move forward the process of energy integration domestically and, more recently, regionally. The reaction of the Brazilian energy establishment to the integration strategy implemented in the 1990s is studied as well.Findings – The main findings of the paper are that the strategy pursued to regional integration (bilateral commercial contracts) is not providing the benefits originally envisaged and that the main reason for this outcome is the focus on the convergence of national energy regulations and policies.Originality/value – To move the process of integration forward, the paper proposes that the focus should be on a multilateral agreement that can provide reliabili...

Developing the gas industry in Brazil: Competition or regulation?

Abstract Recent developments in the Brazilian gas supply industry are reviewed. Two main questions are addressed. First, is territorial monopoly the best approach for the industrial organisation of an infant gas supply industry (GSI)? Second, how should the regulatory framework of the GSI be related to a competition‐oriented regulatory framework in the electricity supply industry (ESI)? Our view is that the regulation used in North America and in Europe to develop the GSI, when their gas industries were in their infancy, has not been adapted for the Brazilian case. New driving forces are bounding the development of the GSI both in mature and infant markets. An innovative regulatory framework is required that will preserve market power equilibrium and regulatory coherence between the GSI and ESI.

High Efficient Motors in Brazil:a Perspective

Similarly to any other industrial country, electric motors are extensively used in Brazil to produce stationary motive force. Relatively low cost as compared to other motors, large range of power capacity and no emission of pollutants were the main inducing forces for the rapid spread of electric motors in the economy: They required lower investments, were clean and provided flexibility to organize the workshop floor.

Global warming — time for a cool look

Abstract Responses to global warming will be determined by social and political factors as much as by science. During the 1980s, concern about climate change has been encouraged by developments in the international arena and in the energy sector. There are some similarities between the responses to this new problem and those to the oil crises of the 1970s. Similar intellectual tools are being used to understand the appropriateness of different courses of action while there must be doubts about the durability of public and political interest. At the same time costs could fall disproportionately on different countries, particularly those in the developing world.