Conergy And NEXTracker Launch Latin America And Caribbean Solar Alliance
US companies Conergy and NEXTracker have announced the launch of the Latin America and Caribbean Solar Alliance, which is intended to spur development in the region.
Conergy, one of the world’s largest downstream solar companies, and NEXTracker, the world’s fastest-growing solar tracking company, announced the launch of the new initiative on Thursday. The Latin America and Caribbean Solar Alliance’s mission is “to spur initiatives among solar industry professionals doing business in Latin America and the Caribbean and to present a unified voice to advance solar industry goals.”
The group, currently sequestered on LinkedIn, has “deep roots in Latin America and strong government ties” and “aims to initiate and support policies that further solar deployment.” Overseen by a nine-person board which will direct, organize, and promote ongoing initiatives, as well as determine clear goals for the solar industry in the region.
“This alliance is launching right when it is truly needed,” said Senior Solar Analyst Adam James of GTM Research. “Latin America has had triple-digit growth rates for the last three years, with expected compounded annual growth rates doubling Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America out to 2020.”
The Latin America and Caribbean Solar Alliance (LACSA) aims to spearhead four main activities:
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sponsor ongoing Latin America-focused solar events across the globe
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underscore practical knowledge from Latin America experts at solar industry conferences
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facilitate online knowledge and content sharing forums
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conduct education and advocacy
The need for just such a group is made abundantly clear when you take into account the region’s recent growth in the solar industry. Figures published by GTM Research in January revealed that the Latin American solar PV market (which includes Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean) grew by 370% in 2014, installing a total of 625 MW of new solar PV capacity. That brought the region’s cumulative capacity up to 809 MW, which GTM Research expected at the time to increase by 2,109 MW to 2,919 MW by the end of this year.
These figures don’t look quite so difficult when you look at the region’s second quarter installation figures. According to GTM Research’s Q2 2015 Latin America PV Playbook, published in early August, Latin America brought 363 MW online in the second quarter, thanks primarily to an impressive 307 MW over 7 projects in Honduras (though Chile, Panama, and Brazil also contributed smaller amounts).
“LACSA will be a terrific springboard for all of us doing business in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Marco Garcia, Chief Commercial Officer of NEXTracker. “This is an extraordinary time for solar growth in Latin America; the PV pipeline is huge. LACSA will enable us to be proactive – collaborating to sow the seeds for solar to flourish in the region. We look forward to active industry participation that’ll bring broader PV deployment to fruition.”
“Latin America’s solar market is poised for rapid growth and sophistication,” said Andrew de Pass, CEO of Conergy, “After winning 60MW in Brazil’s large auction last month, Conergy has received lots of inquiries within the industry. We’re excited for this timely launch and to be at the forefront of fostering industry collaboration with NEXTracker.”
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