STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE ARGENTINE POWER SYSTEM

PHILIPP SCHAUBE; JUAN IGNACIO TALPONE; RECALDE, MARINA YESICA; WILLINGTON ORITZ

Stralsund

Simposio; REGWA Symposium (Symposium for renewable energy and hydrogen technology); 2015

Fachhochschule Stralsund (Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

The Argentine energy system is currently facing a number of challenges: a yearly increasing electricity demand, a strong dependence on fossil fuels and especially Argentina?s dependence on their own natural gas reserves, which due to the experts´ assessments will run out in the next 20 years. In order to address these critical issues a new long-term strategy would be needed. Despite state support programs actually only 1,5% of the national electricity demand iscovered by renewable energy sources and therefore it is probable that the government will not reach the in the law 26.190 set target of an 8% share of renewable energy in 2016. Renewable energy systems offer a wide range of development prospects for Argentina: a growing share of renewable energy would reduce the dependence on natural gas imports and at the same time new power generating capacities would contribute significantly to meet Argentina?s ever increasing energy demand. Moreover renewable off-grid-and mini-grid-systems have the potential to enable communities, which will not be connected to the grid in the near future, to access electricity.In this context the main objective of the paper is to present the main characteristics and challenges within the Argentine power system and to analyze the current situation of renewable energies. On the basis of the findings the paper intends to develop perspectives for the dissemination of renewable energy systems in the Argentine context.