President Mauricio Macri has announced the start of a new plan to boost renewable energy production in Argentina.
Macri formally launched Plan RenovAr this morning in Buenos Aires, alongside City Mayor Horario Rodriguez Larreta, Energy Minister Juan José Aranguren, and Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Sergio Bergman.
Plan RenovAr will focus on developing sources of clean energy, especially solar and wind power, in line with Argentina’s commitment to the Paris Agreement to combat Climate Change.
“We must be committed to reducing carbon emissions, and Argentina has a lot to contribute and produce in terms of renewable energies,” said Macri. “Our country has enormous potential. We are among the leading countries able to generate solar and wind energy.”
Referring to the persistent high winds in southern Argentina, Macri said that “we have to fill Patagonia with wind turbines, because that will give Argentina energy and create job opportunities for many Argentines.”
The first stage of the plan will see public tenders issued for renewable energy projects to produce 1,000 megawatts of energy, which Macri said would reduce carbon emissions by around 2m tonnes.
Argentina has so far failed to meet targets for renewable energy as a portion of total electricity output. In 2006, the government set the objective of 8% renewable energy in a decade through Law 26,190.
This was modified in October 2015, days before last year’s presidential election, with the 8% target now set for end-2017. The law outlines tax benefits and incentives for companies that develop clean energy projects.
The longer-term target is for renewable sources to cover 25% of Argentina’s energy needs by 2025.
