Change in territorial dynamics, energy transition, and impacts on the agricultural sector in Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

The research addresses electricity production in Rio Grande do Norte, analyzing changes in territorial dynamics caused by the installation of wind farms in a state that has traditionally focused on oil production. The shift in energy production has had direct consequences for agriculture, reducing the land area allocated to this activity in the regions where wind farms have been established. Wind farms affect approximately 20% of the area in the 10 municipalities with the highest concentration of these enterprises, where there has been a significant reduction in cultivated land and the number of farmers between 2006 and 2017. Making use of Milton Santos' theoretical-methodological approach, which considers space as a totality, the study evaluates the relationship between territories used for oil and wind energy production, as well as their impacts on the labor market and agriculture. The analysis reveals that the installation of wind farms—requiring a large workforce during the installation phase, followed by a sharp decline in labor demand during the operation and maintenance phase—leads to the loss of direct and indirect jobs in the municipalities where these enterprises are located. Additionally, it negatively affects the dynamics of agricultural activity by reducing cultivated land areas, further intensifying structural changes in the Potiguar territory.