21 November 2012: Officials from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) met to discuss cooperation between the two agencies on projects related to renewable energy. The meeting, led by OLADE’s Executive Secretary and IRENA’s Director of Knowledge Management and Technology Cooperation, was held on 19 November 2012 at OLADE headquarters in Quito, Ecuador.

The two bodies discussed cooperation in three areas: biomass; geothermal; and the stabilization of electrical grids to facilitate the linkage of renewable energy sources. In the first case, IRENA and OLADE are helping Ecuador and the Dominican Republic assess their agro-industrial waste potential and the feasibility of electricity production using such wastes.

Regarding geothermal energy, the two agencies have launched an initiative focused on the Andean countries of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, with technical assistance from countries with experience in geothermal power generation such as Iceland, Mexico, and New Zealand as mentors. The project has started with an assessment of: national institutional, regulatory and market frameworks; the status of current exploration of geothermal areas; incentives for investments in geothermal power; and capacity building needs. The assessment findings, along with best practice from the mentor countries, will be discussed at a workshop to be held during 2013 in Mexico.

As for work on stabilizing electrical grids, the two agencies plan to gather experiences from Latin American nations with relevant experience, such as Argentina, and provide technical support to those OLADE member countries needing it, such as Costa Rica, Ecuador and Honduras. [OLADE Press Release]