Research on renewable energy conducted by Itaipu is aimed at mitigating global climate change through the use of renewable energy, energy science, sustainable mobility, sustainable buildings and reducing the use of fossil fuels as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), in line with global efforts.

Itaipu elected biogas (natural gas derived from the processing of waste of agricultural production) as one of its priority projects for 2015, due to the positive impact that this resource provides the regional economy with and promoting environmental sanitation and sustainable production which is booming. Twelve demonstration units in western Paraná are in place to provide the technical and economic viability of biogas.

Another focus of activity was the biomethane mobility: in 2015, 43 vehicles (17%) of the company’s fleet have been converted to the use of biomethane gas. In conjunction with the Electric Vehicle project, about 35% of the organization’s vehicles are sustainable. Thus, Itaipu has achieved the goal of reducing fossil fuel consumption by 3% assumed by Eletrobras in 2012. The emissions avoided in 2015 were 25.76 tons of CO₂ from the use of electric vehicles to replace conventional vehicles.

As for the Sustainable Electric Mobility Program, developed by Itaipu with various national and international partners, had as its main advance the completion of the inaugural flight of the first manned electric aircraft in Latin America.

Itaipu’s experience with the generation of energy from biogas was presented at the UN energy forum held in June in Vienna, Austria, and in December for the UN Climate Conference – COP 21, held in Paris, along with the Electric Vehicle program.