During the Cement & Green Concrete 2050 Congress, Fitzgerald Cantero Piali, Director of Studies, Projects and Information at the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), shared strategic insights on the role of the energy sector in driving industrial decarbonization across Latin America and the Caribbean.
In his presentation, Cantero emphasized that transportation and energy are the sectors with the highest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in the region. In 2022, the industrial sector accounted for 27% of total energy consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Main energy sources used in the regional industrial sector:
- Bioenergy: 28%
- Electricity: 23%
- Natural gas: 22%
- Petroleum products: 15%
- Coal: 11%
- Solar energy: 1%
The energy sector is responsible for approximately 15% of total CO₂ emissions in the region. Nevertheless, there has been a significant improvement in industrial energy intensity, which has declined by 30% over the past 20 years, thanks to modernization and efficiency efforts.
Key actions identified to accelerate industrial emission reductions:
- Replacing combustion engines with electric motors.
- Substituting coal and petroleum derivatives with natural gas or renewable sources.
- Expanding the use of electricity in industrial processes.
- Strengthening energy efficiency and access to sustainable financing.
With this data, OLADE reaffirms its commitment to evidence-based public policies that promote a cleaner, more competitive industrial sector aligned with global climate goals.
