Funding diversifies across the region as emerging LAC countries promote deployment and strengthen policy support
The 26 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are accounting for a rising share of global clean energy investment as governments in the region strengthen policy support and local supply chains expand, according to Climatescope 2013, a new report from the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).
Climatescope, sponsored by the MIF and researched by BNEF, is an assessment, index and interactive web tool focused on the clean energy market. First released in 2012, it rates Latin American and Caribbean countries on the ability to attract low-carbon energy investment. This year, nations were scored on 39 data points categorized into four broad parameters: (I) Enabling Framework, (II) Clean Energy Investment and Climate Financing, (III) Low-Carbon Business and Clean Energy Value Chains and (IV) Greenhouse Gas Management Activities.
In all, the Latin American and Caribbean region captured 6 percent of the total $268.7 billion bn invested worldwide in clean energy in 2012, up from 5.7 percent in 2011 (Clean energy is defined as wind, solar, biomass, small hydro, geothermal and other renewable power generation, and biofuels). Investment in the region declined 3.8 percent from 2011 to 2012, far less than the 11 percent global pullback recorded over the same period.
“Policy frameworks are expanding and strengthening in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the actionable information provided by the Climatescope is helping to reduce information gaps and catalyze new investment in clean energy,” said Nancy Lee, General Manager of the MIF. “The rapidly falling costs of clean technologies such as solar and wind power combined with an improved investment climate means that clean energy generation in the region is now truly affordable. The MIF will continue supporting Latin America and the Caribbean’s progress.”
Climatescope’s research partner, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, tracked clean energy policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. As of the end of 2012, BNEF identified 110 such policies, up from 80 at the end of 2011.
Climatescope2013 also tracked a dramatic rise in the diversification of investment destinations in the region.
“The growth of clean energy investment outside Brazil in 2012 was significant,” said Michael Liebreich, chief executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “Total financing outside Latin America’s largest country jumped to 45 percent in 2012 from 17 percent in 2011, as Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Uruguay, among others, posted outsized growth rates.”
Still, Brazil had the highest overall composite Climatescope score on the strength of its top rankings on the survey’s Low-Carbon Business and Greenhouse Gas Management parameters. This marked the second year that Brazil ranked first overall in Climatescope.
Chile moved up three positions, to second place overall, after its renewable investment more than quadrupled, to $2.1 billion, from 2011 to 2012.
Nicaragua, with the region’s second-lowest GDP per capita, finished third overall with a strong showing in the Enabling Framework and Clean Energy Investment and Climate Financing parameters.
The top Climatescope score for a Caribbean nation was earned by the Dominican Republic, which saw a year-over-year doubling of clean energy investment to $645 million. This helped the country advance seven slots up the leader board from the 2012 rankings – more than any other Climatescope country.
Other key findings of Climatescope 2013:
About the Multilateral Investment Fund
The Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, is funded by 39 donors and supports private sector-led development benefitting low-income populations and the poor – their businesses, their farms, and their households. The aim is to give them the tools to boost their incomes: access to markets and the skills to compete in those markets, access to finance, and access to basic services, including green technology. A core MIF mission is to act as a development laboratory – experimenting, pioneering, and taking risks in order to build and support successful micro and SME business models.
About Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) is the definitive source of insight, data and news on the transformation of the energy sector. BNEF has staff of more than 200, based in London, New York, Beijing, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Munich, New Delhi, San Francisco, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington D.C., and Zurich.
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This press release was originally published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), here.
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