Over four days, experts and academics from seven countries met in Quito to advance regional training in renewable energy economics, as part of the ETRELA-IKI project.
The headquarters of the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) hosted, over four days, the In-Person Training Workshop on Renewable Energy Economics, an initiative of the ETRELA project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Government and implemented by the consortium led by OLACDE together with implementing partners The Renewables Academy (RENAC), Global Factor, and universities from the region.
The program, aimed at professors, researchers, and academic assistants, sought to strengthen technical capacities and provide training materials that facilitate the development of academic programs in renewable energy.
At the opening, Rafael Juan Martí, Head of Division & Trainer at RENAC, underscored the relevance of this in-person phase of the train-the-trainer program titled “Academic Ambassadors in Renewable Energy Economics,” while Gloria Alvarenga, OLACDE’s Director of Integration, Access and Energy Security, emphasized that “technology alone is not enough: highly trained professionals are needed to design, finance, and implement sustainable solutions that guarantee universal access to energy and respond to the challenges of urbanization”.
The ETRELA project, currently in its second phase, involves eight universities from seven countries in the region as direct beneficiaries. However, many of the activities also indirectly benefit all countries in the region.
The sessions included presentations, case studies, and hands-on activities, covering topics such as economic and financial analysis, contractual matters, and risk management strategies for renewable energy projects.
More than just a course, the workshop represented a space for regional cooperation and professional network-building, key to driving a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.
