With plenty of hydropower and recent additions of wind and solar generation, Latin America and the Caribbean boasts one of cleanest electricity grids in the world. And yet, as we show in our recent flagship publication “From Structures to Services”, we are falling short of the goal of limiting warming to 1.5° C and even 2° C. Due to their declining costs, wind and solar … [Read more...] about How Better Electricity Storage Can Help Make Latin America’s Energy Generation Greener
Miguel Castro
Miguel Castro is a consultant at the IDB Research Department. His areas of interest are energy, environmental and natural resource economics, and applied econometrics. His work uses time series, econometrics, and market optimization models to assess the challenges of integrating renewable energy, battery storage, and electric vehicles into power grids. He has also worked on ecosystem services valuation, economic incentives for conservation, and deforestation in Ecuador. Miguel holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Food and Resource Economics from Michigan State University, an MSc in Sustainable Energy Development from the University of Calgary and a BSc in Economics from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. He previously worked as an instructor for Michigan State University and as an economist for international organizations, governments, and NGOs in South America.
Electric Vehicles: Towards Clean and Affordable Transportation
Concerned by climate change and urban pollution, governments and consumers are rapidly moving towards electric vehicles. Battery prices have decreased, and electric cars are increasingly competitive against standard gas-powered vehicles. Before Covid-19, worldwide sales and new registrations of electric vehicles started to grow exponentially, with the United States, China and … [Read more...] about Electric Vehicles: Towards Clean and Affordable Transportation