Event reports
Dr. Christian Hübner, Head of the Regional Programme EKLA-KAS, opened the event by offering a welcome speech and introduced Mr. Tiedemann, highlighting the importance of RENAC AG as an institution specialized in environmental research and consultancy. Afterwards, Mr. Tiedemann presented the progress of energy transition in Germany. The energy transition has had an exponential development since 90s, when the political and business interest on the development of renewable energies was promoted mainly for the production of electrical energy due to the concern on its future supply, environmental impact and effect on public health generated by the excessive use of fossil fuels.
The successful growth of renewable energy production has different factors that promotes: a long term vision, maintaining a prices policy that secures future return on investment, and having an environmental consciousness executed by the political and citizen spheres; in summary, complying with the basic criteria of sustainable development (economical, social and environmental equilibrium). Among several achievements on energy transition in Germany, the reach to the citizens is one of the most remarkable. People satisfy the demand of energy at home through the installation of photovoltaic panels and have the possibility to offer excess to a public network; such excess can be bought, generating an additional income to the family budget. Furthermore, it was also mentioned the importance of energy integration in Europe. Despite there are some problems among the 28 members of the European Union to reach agreements, they are still discussing and looking for agreements that consolidate the energy security at the region, an example that should be replicated in Latin America.
Finally, after a fluid discussion among attendees, who provided comments and posed questions, it was concluded that the potential use of renewable energies in Latin America is high, due to geographic and economic aspects. Nevertheless, in order to make this effort come true, it is necessary the involvement of private sector, as a planner and executor, in alliance with the public sector in order to ensure the appropriate legal frame that would stimulate investment and generate environmental consciousness in the framework of educational plan at all levels, from school to academic research.
