China’s Economy is Rebounding, but Its Interest in Latin American Oil May Not
The 41 percent drop in China’s first quarter GDP, compounded by the global oil price rout, has been something of a worst case scenario for the region’s producers.
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Examining Implications of Covid-19 and Low Oil Prices for Latin American Energy
The recent oil price collapse, combined with the economic contraction resulting from measures to fight the global Covid-19 pandemic, will have extensive and largely unforetold impacts for Latin American energy markets and beyond. These implications include cuts to investment and delays to ongoing projects in both oil & gas and renewable energy, fiscal and broader economic constraints, and legal disputes, said panelists during a webinar held on April 1.
Countering China through Infrastructure Investments
The US has introduced several measures to facilitate energy & infrastructure investment in Latin America. However, the impact will likely be constrained by the challenging investment environment in many Latin American countries, demonstrating the limitations for the US in competing with China’s centralized economic model.
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Impacts of Politics and Oil Price Collapse on South America’s Smaller and Emerging Producers
Political changes are shaping the outlook in many of South America’s smaller and emerging oil and gas producers, including Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. At a webinar co-hosted by the Inter-American Dialogue and the National Capital Area Chapter of the United States Association for Energy Economics (NCAC-USAEE), panelists discussed how political developments and the oil price decline are likely to impact producers in the region.
Can Venezuela’s Oil Industry Ever Recover?
Once a major OPEC producer, Venezuela has witnessed a spectacular fall in oil production over the last 20 years under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. In 2019, U.S. sanctions hastened this decline. Will Venezuela ever reclaim its place as a top oil producer?
Electrified Islands: The Road to E-Mobility in the Caribbean
Caribbean islands are in many ways ideal markets for electric vehicles, and several Caribbean jurisdictions have made significant advances in promoting electric mobility. Examining five case studies—Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic—this report identifies the key challenges and recommends actions that Caribbean governments and other stakeholders can take to stimulate EV adoption.
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Can Western companies save Venezuela’s oil sector? Do they want to?
Lisa Viscidi and Nate Graham spoke with S&P Global Platts about the findings of a new report which argues that Western oil companies will be needed to revive Venezuela’s oil sector. They discuss the obstacles that could affect whether these firms increase production in the country under a new government, including US sanctions uncertainty, high taxes, and a shortage of workers and working infrastructure.
Political Risk Analysis: What’s Ahead For Mexico’s Renewable Energy Industry?
Until recently Mexico stood out within Latin America as a top potential producer of wind and solar energy, but policies under the López Obrador administration have made the climate for renewable energy investment increasingly hostile. Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy Program, and Sarah Phillips, program assistant, sat down with Nathaniel Parish Flannery of Forbes to discuss what’s ahead for Mexico’s renewable resource sector.
Reviving Venezuela’s Oil Sector: The Role of Western Oil Majors
With Venezuela’s state oil company in disarray, international oil companies will be the key to tapping the country’s oil resources. The Inter-American Dialogue interviewed eight large Western oil companies about the conditions that will determine how rapidly, and to what degree, they start or ramp up operations in Venezuela following a political transition.
Clean Energy Auctions in Latin America
Long-term power supply auctions are an increasingly popular instrument worldwide for attracting renewable energy investment while cutting prices, increasing energy security, and reducing emissions. Latin America has been at the forefront of using auctions to boost renewable energy capacity. This study analyzes design and outcomes of government-led long-term power auctions with participation from non-conventional renewable sources in six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Jamaica) since 2015.
Turmoil in South America and the Impact on Energy Markets
2019 has been a tumultuous year for South America. In recent months, mass protests have swept across several countries, including major oil and gas producers Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. Continued political and social turbulence will likely contribute to stagnant oil and gas production growth in these countries. Conversely, Brazil and Guyana are on track to become the region’s largest sources of supply growth.
Experts Divided on Prospects for a Shift in AMLO’s Energy Policy
This event, hosted in collaboration with the Institute of the Americas, aimed to examine the issues facing Mexico’s climate for energy investment across various sectors including power, renewables, oil and natural gas.
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Investing in Natural Gas: Options for Resilient and Flexible Power Systems in Latin America
Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy Program, spoke about the production of natural gas in Argentina and the fuel’s role in the country’s energy transition on a panel organized by the Organization of American States’ Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas on December 13.
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Tendencias energéticas en Latinoamérica
La directora del Programa de Energía, Cambio Climático e Industrias Extractivas, Lisa Viscidi, habló con el Comité Español del Consejo Mundial de la Energía (CECME) sobre el debate entre la privatización y el nacionalismo de los recursos en Latinoamérica y la transición energética.
Presentation to Elcano Institute: Clean Energy Auctions in Latin America
Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy, Climate Change and Extractive Industries Program, gave a presentation to the Energy Working Group of the Elcano Institute on clean energy auctions in Latin America and how their intelligent design could benefit other countries in the region.