ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL AREAS TO BIOMASS CULTIVATION FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION AND A CONTRIBUTION OF REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Since early times, the human kind has been using the biomass for energy purposes. However, the current increasing energy demand can endanger the energy security of the nations and, as well, could put in risk the planet's environmental quality and human health. Thus, by the issues concern about the fossil fuels utilization, the importance of renewable energy sources is being rescued. In this scenario, the biomass energy planning becomes very important to tropical countries, like Brazil, because it would allow stimulating the production of biomass for energy where it is required, but in a sustainable way, considering the social and environmental aspects. Thus, this study aims to present important aspects related with regional energy planning as a contribution for proposing better solutions to energy demands and to think about better public policies related to energy production from biomass. Besides, a contribution of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System in order to assess areas for biomass energy production and a conceptual model are presented as framework which demonstrates how these techniques can constitute support tools to strategic decision making process in bioenergy issues. Some difficult and constraints to territorial and agro-energy planning in Brazil was also presented.