Latin America’s wind energy potential
The GWEC recently reported that Brazil, Mexico and Chile are the top three countries in the region “waking up” to the opportunity of its enormous wind power potential. While North America has 52,753 MW installed wind power capacity, Latin America and the Caribbean only reports 2,330 MW, led by Brazil with 1,509 MW of installed capacity during 2011.
The outlook
According to the GWEC the wind energy future in Brazil is “positive”, with the remaining PROINFA projects, “which are scheduled to become operational in 2011 or 2012”. Also, the International Energy Agency highlights Brazil’s previous experience gained through tenders for conventional thermal capacity to renewable energy.
In Mexico, the installed wind power capacity in 2010 was 519 MW, of its potential 71 GW. Investment in development areas like Oaxaca, Baja California and the Gulf of Mexico still has obstacles: an incomplete regulatory framework and complex administrative procedures.
On the other hand, countries like Chile and Argentina wind energy capacities are growing constantly, though concerns about regulatory issues. In Argentina installing 79 MW represented last year a more than 100% increase in total installed capacity.
Post sources: Renewableenergy.com, GWEC, IEA
Source: gwec.info
