19 February 2015: A workshop convened by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Central American Integration System (SICA) brought together regional vice-ministers, directors of energy and directors of climate change to discuss the next steps for the Central America Clean Energy Corridor initiative. The workshop was the first event co-organized by IRENA and SICA since the partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2014.

According to IRENA, “the lack of regulation, technical tools and local experience operating a regional power system with medium to high shares of variable renewable energy” pose challenges to the project. Feedback gathered at the workshop will be used to move the project forward and address some of these challenges.

Highlighting the region’s high resource potential for hydro, biomass, geothermal, wind and solar energy, IRENA Director-General Adnan Amin pointed out that facilitating their growth will help meet increasing demand as populations and economies grow in the region, in addition to addressing climate change, creating jobs and boosting energy security. He further pointed to examples where the corridor concept is already successfully being implemented, such as in the Eastern and Southern Africa power pools. [IRENA Press Release] [Abu Dhabi Communiqué on Accelerating Renewable Energy Uptake in Latin America]