The Latin American solar revolution is a great opportunity to adopt environmental policies that include the water-energy nexus

It is indisputable that renewable energy resources are on the rise. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, these types of energy are already transforming energy production around the world. For instance, between 2005 and 2015 renewable installed capacity increased by almost 50% worldwide. Additionally, renewables have changed traditional perspectives regarding the environment and the adoption of sustainable development programs, which have influenced international institutions and local governments.

Aside from reducing the use of fossil fuels, the introduction of renewable energy resources has also brought essential questions about the interconnectivity of different environmental policies. This means, the energy sector does not work in isolation since the production of energy requires large amounts of water. On the other hand, water management demands the use of electricity to clean and move water for different aims.

Solar power potential

While the introduction of renewables has reduced the region’s dependency on foreign oil, it has as well highlighted other issues such as water distribution and energy efficiency. In 2016, the World Resources Institute established that Latin American water stress could impact food production and the health system.

Likewise, the population rise will increase the energy demand. Therefore, Latin American solar power potential has the chance to improve current environmental challenges by the introduction of the water-energy nexus within solar power development.

Among all renewables, solar power has been the one that experienced the highest growth in Latin America and offered ideal solutions to solve water scarcity. The GTM Research Center reported that Latin American solar markets will increase by 6.7% during 2018. GTM experts also stated that Mexico’s and Brazil’s solar investments are crucial elements towards the regional energy transition.

Latin America’s solar installed capacity outlook foresees to overpass 40 gigawatts. Considering that 1 gigawatt is equal to 4.6 million PV panels, there is no doubt that Latin American solar capacity has the potential to reconfigure regional economic outlooks. While the sun is changing energy production, it is also offering the region the opportunity to adopt better practices concerning the water-energy nexus.

In the 2015 Renewable Report, the International Renewable Energy Agency showed specific examples of how solar panels can serve to pump water during dry season, besides it can also function as part of desalination processes.

Since 2016, companies such as Solarpack, Enel Green Power, and T Solar have contributed to develop solar power; nevertheless, it will be relevant to look at how solar projects are linked to water systems.

In the case of Mexico, it would be fruitful to consider that the institutions that manage water and energy tend to work apart rather than together during the construction of infrastructure. At the local level, the Mexican government has implemented social programs that include some sort of nexus approach mainly in indigenous communities and other social groups that do not have access to clean water and electricity. However, during the development of large-scale solar projects, the introduction of the nexus has not been present.

Summing up, the Latin American solar power revolution offers a unique opportunity to include new approaches within the development of the water-energy nexus. This will help to achieve better environmental practices in both sectors, as long as institutions realize the need to work together under the values of cooperation and partnership.

LatinAmerican Post | Alberto Ugarte

Copy edited by Marcela Peñaloza