DEVELOPING RENEW ENERGY: COMPARATIVE SCENARIOS AND PUBLIC POLICY PERSPECTIVES FROM SOME LATIN AMERCAN COUNTRIE

TÍTULO

DEVELOPING RENEW ENERGY: COMPARATIVE SCENARIOS AND PUBLIC POLICY PERSPECTIVES FROM SOME LATIN AMERCAN COUNTRIES 

DOCUMENTO - ARTIGO CIENTÍFICO 

AUTORES - CLAUDIA CECILIA LARDIZABAL, ISMENE ROSALES, JANAINA CAMILE PASQUAL, GRICELDA HERRERA, SANDRA MEJIA, MARIEL ÁLVAREZ CANCINO

RESUMO/ABSTRACT

The energy matrix of Latin American and the Caribbean countries has one of the largest renewable energy components when compared to other regions of the world. Nonetheless, by 2009 nearly three-quarters of its structure corresponded to fossil fuels, with most of the countries being net importers of these fuels. This situation marks the region ?s dependence on the effects of changes in energy commodities. Therefore, the opportunity lies in higher use of renewable energy sources that contribute to the country ?s energy security and represent signifcant environmental benefts. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of current energy scenarios of six Latin American countries (Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, Ecuador and Chile) in order to evaluate the policies, programs and strategies implemented in the search for greater participation of renewable energy. Considering the importance of the water-energy nexus that could serve to promote renewables under conditions of water scarcity, a qualitative data comparison was accomplished, considering energy consumption, CO2 emissions, GDP and water withdrawals per country. The authors conclude that, despite technological and fnancial constraints, all the involved countries are moving towards the substitution of a fossil fuel based matrix to a renewable one. This process could be seen as a result of clear policies and strategies that have been set, which include (but are not limited to) price regulations setting, preferential prices to electricity generated through renewable energy technologies and incentives formulated to encourage the production of biofuels.