On the second day of the District Energy International Conference LAC 2025, a high-level panel was moderated by Medardo Cadena, Advisor to the Executive Secretary of OLADE, who emphasized in his opening remarks: “The effects of climate change, increasingly intense and frequent, heighten the urgency for efficient thermal solutions. At OLADE, we closely monitor the development of district energy as an integral part of energy efficiency in the region.”
The panel brought together experts from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia, who shared concrete experiences on the implementation of district energy systems:
Felipe Raats (ARAVA, Brazil) presented the track record of more than 30 district cooling projects in the country, highlighting current challenges such as high interest rates and the transition toward more efficient electrical systems.
Ernesto Acevedo (Ministry of Energy and Mines, Dominican Republic) shared the case of the Punta Cana-Macao energy consortium, which integrates electricity generation with the distribution of steam and chilled water to hotels through a 14 km district system.
Anselm Simon (UNDP, Trinidad and Tobago) outlined the district cooling project launched in 2017, which, despite challenges such as low electricity tariffs and the pandemic, advanced with strong private sector support.
Ricardo Baquero (UNIDO, Colombia) shared key lessons from a decade of work in Colombia, stressing the importance of involving multiple ministries and sectors to achieve effective and sustainable implementation.
Through this participation, OLADE reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovative energy solutions that strengthen climate resilience, optimize resource use, and contribute to building more efficient and sustainable energy systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
