Potential, opportunities and challenges for photovoltaic generation in Latin American and Caribbean countries

Resumen

The energy transition is a global objective to mitigate the effects of climate change, resulting from pollutant emissions, mainly by the energy industry. This transformation implies an economic and technological challenge, however, it also creates opportunities for development based on the entire industrial-technological apparatus that the expansion of renewable energy generation requires. Given this scenario of possible economic benefits arising from decarbonization, this work seeks to understand the panorama of the energy sector in Latin America (LA), the evolution of the use of renewable sources in the region and the specific policies for solar photovoltaic generation, notably, the of an industrial nature, focusing on Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Among the results, the research showed that there are no broad and consolidated industrial policies, focusing on the development of components for solar photovoltaic generation in the region. The initiatives found focus on stimulus via tax incentives and the import of these components. Thus, such policies for the adoption of photovoltaic sources and for financing the acquisition of equipment determined the configuration of the sector in the region, mostly importing equipment. The exception is Argentina, with a policy of creating a technological hub for the manufacture of components in the renewable segment, including photovoltaic modules.