Executives of the sector private sector addressed the challenges in terms of technology as one of the key points that require attention in the country to move towards the goal of expanding the energies renewables and improve electrical service.
Jorge Galiber, CEO of TotalEnergies; Álvaro Vergara, CEO of Soventix Caribbean; and Óscar San Martín, general manager of the Punta Cana Macao Energy Consortium (CEPM), recognized the efforts of the government as to regulation and support to sector private for the investment in renewable projects. However, they warned that technological advances are constantly increasing, so the country needs to stay at the forefront to adapt to innovations.
“We have in the country a matrix which is making considerable progress towards sustainabilitybut it remains true that the main challenge is the speed of implementation of technologies to manage this new matrix. Today, for example, from our point of view at CEPM, where we have large-scale projects with the installation of solar panels, windmills and, soon, the integration of storage batteries, the challenge is to explore how we are going to adapt technological innovations,” said San Martín.
In this regard, Vergara addressed the impact of the energies renewables and the increase in the demand: “The demand The country’s electricity supply will double in about six years. This is not a static context in which the contribution of renewables will increase, but it must accelerate its pace because the demand maximum is growing by around 13% and overall by 9% in power.”
This growth It is significant and goes hand in hand with the development economic growth of the country, which has also generated an increase in the investmentHe also stated that the goal of increasing the generation clean 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 is ambitious, but achievable if the investments in infrastructure and new storage and control technologies are being developed.
“There are times of the day when 35% of the energy peak is supplied by renewables, which is a challenge for electrical infrastructure,” he noted.
Million-dollar investment
The National Energy Commission (CNE) recalled that the country requires approximately 5,000 million dollars in investments to achieve the goal of increasing the generation of energies renewables, which represents a significant opportunity for the sector private.
Galiber highlighted the need to integrate the intelligence artificial as a key tool for adapting new technologies and merging them with existing electrical infrastructures. He added that the country should study how natural gas could function as a transition molecule in the energy transformation process.
During their participation in the fifth edition of Energyear Caribe 2024, the executives raised new questions investments by the companies they manage for expansion and development of projects, urging the authorities to work together with the sector private sector to address energy challenges.
In addition to technological challenges, another important challenge is human resources. It was noted that the country is receiving international professionals specialized in the energy sector, so it is essential to begin training local specialists to meet the demand in the sector.
