The South American dilemma: sustainable development and renewable energies—can transnational power grids assist in solving it?

Abstract

Despite common social and cultural heritage, development has been elusive to South America. It faces the critical dilemma of achieving sustainable development without going down the path of industrialized carbon-based economies. Most South American countries have individually focused on achieving the best configuration possible of their own energy matrices. Much less attention has been placed on seeking a unified solution in relation to the viability of interconnecting power transmission grids throughout the region. The paper addresses the relationship between energy matrix configuration and energysupply policies, and the effect on development opportunities in South America. It explores whether, even though having dissimilar and even divergent regulatory frameworks, the idea of transnational transmission networks would assist in resolving the aforementioned dilemma through achieving a regional convergent policy’s goal of sustainable development.