Achieving greater investments in the energy transition, not only in the generation and distribution sector, but even in the private sector, will depend on changes in Panamanian regulation. These were the conclusions of a group of specialists who met in the panel ‘Energy transition in Panama: expectation vs reality’, of the XII Industrial Energy and Water Symposium. 

Luis Frauca, president of the Union of Industrialists of Panama, who moderated the panel, commented that making changes to the regulation would allow the sector to enter at the “speed” that investments are made, such as

We have to fully enter into the regulation to penetrate at the speed that the investments are made. In addition, it will improve the security that that investment will return in an appropriate period,” he said.

Sergio Hinestrosa, vice president of strategic planning, regulation and new businesses of Ensa Grupo EPM, explained that they have been proactive in demonstrating to the regulator to eliminate the limitations within the energy transition, as is the case of the cost in energy for charging stations for electric vehicles. 

He pointed out that with the current power costs a very expensive service is offered for the end user, therefore, country.

Ensa has been one of the promoters of removing the barriers to enter the energy transition,” said the vice president of strategic planning, regulation and new business of Ensa Grupo EPM, who also maintained that Ensa’s contributions in the energy transition are given as far as regulation allows them with issues of energy efficiency, electric mobility and the self-consumption of the implementation of solar

own concession areas, a key strategy to reach the energy transition faster.”

Lissete Benitez, director of Marketing and Origination of AES Panama, said that as an industry and as a country they are forced in some way to seek that investments are aimed at the decarbonization or reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, through renewable or clean sources. 

But one of the biggest challenges that is presented to them, she said, is that the investments that are sought to make

That’s why we always talk about a transition or something that has to be done little by little. It is always important to analyze the impact we have on all the edges of our industries, not only at the level of electricity consumption but in each of our processes and to be able to evaluate what is the most optimal or efficient way to organize our investments to maintain that balance of reducing emissions, decarbonizing the matrix and staying competitive,” BenítezHinestrosa

also emphasized that Panama

The invitation is to look for firms that already have the expertise to support them in identifying those opportunities, because the energy transition is a great possibility of economic development for the country as well as for the industry. It is important that they get involved,” urged the vice president of strategic planning, regulation and new business of Ensa Grupo EPM. 

The president of the IAPA stressed that Panama has made substantial changes in the last 10 or 15 years in renewable or sustainable energy. However, he mentioned that there are still challenges with climate change. “That should force us to be efficient in energy prospects. The industry is already doing it, but it must happen at a higher speed because we may be losing resources or obtaining additional costs that we are not seeing,” he said.