Governança pública e transição energética: a ausência do biometano no abastecimento do mercado catarinense de gás natural

Abstract

This study examines the organizational and governance factors shaping the trajectory of the just energy transition within Companhia de Gás de Santa Catarina (SCGÁS), the state-owned natural gas concessionaire in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Specifically, it investigates how the company's decisions, governance arrangements, and investment models influence the adoption of biomethane as a critical energy matrix diversification alternative. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on documentary analysis (management reports, technical documents), observation, field research on local biogas/biomethane projects, and comparison with other state distributors. This analysis, anchored in the pragmatist tradition, emphasizes organizational practices and public processes in arenas of dispute. The results reveal a corporate trajectory historically focused on fossil fuel supply and consumer market expansion, particularly in the residential segment, despite a recent decline in total distributed volume due to drops in industrial consumption. Crucially, despite the identified technical potential for biomethane in Santa Catarina, the company has not structured effective integration policies. The analysis highlights a technocratic, centralized governance model that is resistant to collaborative innovation. This study concludes that achieving a just energy transition requires profound institutional reconfigurations and a shift toward more permeable, collaborative governance in the energy distribution sector.