The link between access to energy, financial mechanisms, and energy policies in Nicaragua

The Smart Villages Initiative, together with the Central American University (UCA) and the Nicaraguan Academy of Sciences (ACN), held the local workshop “The link between access to energy, financial mechanisms, and energy policies in Nicaragua”. The event took place from 27 to 28 April 2017 at the Selva Negra Resort Hotel in the mountainous area of Matagalpa, Nicaragua.

The first day, participants visited the El Bote hydroelectric project, an interesting 10-year project located in remote areas of the department of Jinotega that supplies energy to more than 5,400 families from different municipalities in the area. During the tour, experts explained the challenges that the project has had to overcome and the reasons for its success.

The forum was held on the second day, which aimed to promote the analysis and exchange of knowledge between experts from the public and private sector, non-governmental organizations, and academia, based on experiences in the field of universal access to modern energy services. Challenges and opportunities are sought in the rural context to:

• The integration of energy access for basic services, productive processes and tourism
• Mechanisms and financing instruments to improve access
• The strengthening of the legal and regulatory framework for distributed generation

Programme and presentations