The universal provision of electricity remains far from achieved in the Brazilian Amazon, given the geographical obstacles, the dispersion of its inhabitants, the indistinctness of appropriate technologies, and the economic obstacles. Governmental action was taken in 2003 with the creation of the Light for All Program (PLpT), with the goal of bringing electricity to all rural consumers by 2010. In addition, the National Electric Power Agency, ANEEL (Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica), which is responsible in Brazil for the electrical sector regulation, has issued a determination of compulsory access to electricity by 2015. This study describes research conducted on the Madeira River, in the Brazilian Amazon, where the electric needs of the communities and small towns along the river can be satisfied through the gasification system, using as a renewable feedstock the wood-fuel biomass deposited on the riverbed, derived from natural processes, which the Ministry of Transport is already legally obligated to remove in order to provide safe navigation along the river. The first part of the study was dedicated to review Brazilian power system, Universal access to electricity in Brazil, renewable sources of energy in the Amazon region, technologies to produce electricity using biomass as source, Brazilian power sector subsidies, the Madeira River, its characteristics and economic importance and investment analysis tools. Next, quality and quantity information of the biomass collected from the river along the years was taken from AHIMOC, the Federal Organization responsible for the Madeira River navigability. Then a physical-chemical analysis was made at the UFAM’s laboratories, using biomass collected in a field trip. The biomass power potential and the technological power production routes using biomass were evaluated with these data after comparing the results with available literature. Subsequently information about householders and communities located at the Madeira River was obtained with the State Utility. Once the available biomass, the technology routes and the possible consumers were characterized, the study evaluated technology, economy, environment, social and legal aspects. The study results show the competitiveness of gasification comparing to diesel thermoelectric plants, along with its advantages in helping Brazilian universal electrification program, which implementation depends on public policies with the obligatory participation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Transports and The Ministry of Environment, and also the attractiveness potential private capital participation which could contribute to reduce public investment. The results should help future studies in others areas with similar phenomena and the opportunity to use another types of local biomass in Gasifier systems.
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