Michigan sustainability case: Rural electrification: Which infrastructure is best for the brazilian pantanal?

Abstract

Nearly one billion global citizens lack access to reliable electricity, with the majority being residents of developing countries. The absence of reliable electricity impacts a wide variety of things including the ability to refrigerate vaccines and other medical supplies, improve educational achievement, and reduce poverty. Access to reliable electricity has also been shown to improve gender equality and reduce intimate partner violence. This article highlights the challenges associated with electricity infrastructure development in developing countries by focusing on the Brazilian Pantanal. The benefits and challenges of conventional, centralized hydroelectricity and coal-fired power plants, which require long-distance electricity transmission, are compared with a solar microgrid that can operate independently at the local scale. The article provides appropriate background to allow students to understand the complexities surrounding energy development and engage in the decision-making process through the lens of local stakeholders as they decide which energy infrastructure offers the best future for rural communities.