Latin America Andeurope tackle renewable energy cooperation

(Lima, March 1, 2012).- At an event organized by CAF –development bank of Latin America– and the French Embassy in Peru on March 1 and 2, national and international officials and experts discussed the latest technological advances on renewable energy and the coordination of joint projects.

The conference, Renewable Energy Today: Latin America-Europe Cooperation Outlook, was opened by Peru’s Natural Resources Strategic Development Vice Minister Gabriel Quijandría Acosta; CAF Vice President Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia; Andean Nations Community Secretary General Adalid Contreras, and French Embassy Chargé D’Affaires Olivier Ramadour.

Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia said CAF –which has the mission of supporting sustainable development in the region– fosters innovation, regional networks, sharing experiences and best practices, as well as improving social-environmental standards and creating public-private associations with the capacity to propose projects and joint cooperation frameworks.

In this regard, Mr. Berrizbeitia mentioned the Innovation Regional Initiative for the Development of Renewable Energy Generation Technologies. The project, part of CAF’s Sustainable Energy Program, seeks to speed up research, innovation and development of non-conventional, renewable energy technologies to address regional needs, taking advantage of vast and little used resources, including solar, wind and marine energy.

Under this initiative, a methodology and platform will be developed, allowing innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs –as well as institutions and companies linked to energy generation, transmission and distribution– to share, improve and spread new technologies.

Berrizbeitia said this activity is part of CAF’s mission of helping to share knowledge on renewable energy and promote connections among experts in the field, with support from France.

“Besides financing projects, we are an institution that generates knowledge,” he said. That’s why CAF shares international experiences and best practices on renewable energy with officials and public policy decision-makers, as the region has vast potential in the field, he added.

For his part, Olivier Ramadour said the French Embassy pursues cooperation with the Andean countries in order to build, step up and develop relations with them to address common concerns, particularly those related to global changes.

In view of climate change, the unsustainable nature of current energy systems and the vital need to protect the environment, the development of new energy resources is urgent for every nation (by 2050, it will be mandatory for the European Union to utilize mostly renewable energy.)

Mr. Ramadour said this huge challenge can be tackled –and this exceptional opportunity for industry and research can be fulfilled– only with close cooperation among countries in the region, as well as between North and South. “The issue discussed in this event, and the philosophy of dialogue and sharing, match France’s willingness to achieve international progress in environmental protection and the fight against global warming, within the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation,” he said.

The gathering included presentations on solar, wind, marine and geothermal energy, as well as biofuels, hydrogen and fuel cell. International cooperation programs will also be developed.

Panelists and participants included renewable energy experts and officials from Germany, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, France, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.