Latin America and the Caribbean are reshaping the core of their energy transition. What was once primarily focused on expanding the share of renewable energy has evolved into a broader strategic agenda centered on strengthening energy security, enhancing system resilience, and developing regulatory frameworks capable of keeping pace with rapid technological change.
This was the central message of the FES Government and Investment Virtual Summit, a preparatory forum for the XI Energy Week organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), which will take place from 6 to 9 October in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The event will bring together ministers, regulators, investors, technology companies and energy leaders from OLACDE’s 27 Member States.
Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of OLACDE, emphasized that “today’s energy sector is shaped by geopolitics, technological innovation and strategic security.” He noted that the region currently accounts for 10% of global oil production and 6% of natural gas production, positioning Latin America and the Caribbean as the non-OPEC region with the greatest potential to expand hydrocarbon production in the coming years, particularly driven by Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The most profound transformation, however, is taking place within the electricity sector. In just a decade, the share of solar and wind power in the regional electricity mix has increased from 5% to 20%. Countries such as Chile have already experienced weeks during which wind generation accounted for up to 43% of total electricity production, underscoring a structural shift that demands a comprehensive modernization of energy infrastructure across the region.
The Dominican Republic emerges as a regional benchmark
The Dominican Republic recently awarded 325.69 MW through its latest competitive procurement process and is preparing additional tenders totaling 500 MW, focused on renewable energy generation and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). This initiative is already regarded as one of the Caribbean’s most ambitious regulatory efforts.
Ricardo Guerrero, Vice Minister of Electric Energy of the Dominican Republic, stated: “the process concluded without objections and attracted bids that exceeded expectations.”
The assessment shared during the summit by government officials and private-sector representatives points to a clear conclusion: the energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean has evolved beyond its original climate objective into a broader race for competitiveness, grid stability, energy storage, digitalization, and energy sovereignty.
With more than 53 technical proposals already submitted to the FES Government and Investment Summit, and an official agenda in Santo Domingo covering topics such as energy storage, electricity regulation, grid resilience, and regional gas integration, OLACDE’s XI Energy Week is set to become the region’s leading platform for shaping the strategic direction of the energy sector in the years ahead.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, increasing climate pressures, and rapidly growing electricity demand, Latin America and the Caribbean arrive at this pivotal moment with a significant competitive advantage: one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world. Yet the region’s greatest challenge is no longer simply producing more clean energy—it is ensuring the resilience, reliability, and security of the energy systems that make that production possible.
