The World Bank Energy Practice Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean
From Legacy to Leadership: Geothermal in the Clean Firm Power Era
This year’s GEOLAC explores how geothermal can claim its role as Latin America and the Caribbean’s clean baseload backbone — looking at geothermal in all its forms, from conventional hydrothermal systems to next-generation technologies and their diverse applications across the region. What are the key priorities in financing, regulation, collaboration, and technology to create a clear glidepath for geothermal expansion? How are regional leaders pursuing geothermal and where are the opportunities for investment and development?
Mexican Ministry of Energy (SENER) General Director of Renewable Energies
How Do We Unlock Early Stage Finance for LAC Geothermal? – The Path to Bankability
Early-stage finance remains the single largest barrier to geothermal growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. This session explores how public and private actors can bridge the financing gap between exploration and development. Looking at concessional finance models, multilateral de-risking tools, and innovative partnerships that are shortening project timelines and building a credible pipeline of bankable projects.
What early-stage risk mitigation tools (insurance, grants, cost-share facilities) are showing results globally or regionally?
How can MDBs, DFIs, and local development banks collaborate to finance exploration?
What conditions can accelerate the shift from exploration to development in LAC?
UNECE Expert Group | International Center of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management for Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean Vice-Chair | Senior Advisor
Advances in subsurface access and power conversion are expanding what qualifies as a viable geothermal resource. This session explores how proven next-generation approaches — from closed-loop concepts to advanced binary and hybrid plants — are being applied internationally, and what it will take to deploy them at scale across Latin America and the Caribbean.
How can non-traditional well designs and closed-loop approaches reduce subsurface risk and unlock geothermal resources that conventional methods leave behind?
Once heat is accessed, how do power conversion choices — efficiency, flexibility, and hybridization — determine whether projects are economically viable in LAC markets?
What execution lessons from international projects matter most for Latin America — drilling partnerships, supply-chain readiness, modularity, or performance guarantees?
What partnerships between technology providers, developers, utilities, and governments are needed to move directly to deployment rather than prolonged pilots?
Opportunities in Co-Production and Conversion of End-of-Life O&G Wells into Reliable, Zero-carbon Heat and Power
Looking at method developments and opportunities for co-production geothermal and O&G, and converting idle wells.
How can next-generation geothermal technologies — closed-loop, enhanced, and hybrid systems — overcome resource risk and redefine baseload potential across LAC?
What does it take to move proven tech from pilot to deployment in Latin American contexts — from drilling partnerships to local supply-chain readiness?
How can U.S. innovators, DOE initiatives, and LAC utilities or governments align around R&D, data-sharing, and financing to accelerate the region’s geothermal expansion?
What partnerships, technology transfers, and market signals will help the region accelerate deployment and attract investment?
World Bank Group Senior Energy SpecialistModerator
Honduras
Central America: Proven Systems, New Momentum
Outlook for the Namasigüe (Choluteca) Project: investment plans, project structure, international tenders signed, and socialization mechanisms supporting progress toward drilling
How do state entities approach contracts, marginal costs, and connection node issues to ensure strategic risk reduction?
Understanding options within the legal framework that allow investors to select appropriate contract types and business models
Greenhouses, cold storage, tourism, district cooling, agriculture and industry- How can we scale geothermal direct use solutions?
How can direct-use applications — such as greenhouse heating, cold storage, aquaculture, tourism, and district cooling — unlock new local and regional markets in LAC and expand the geothermal value chain?
What models show that geothermal heat can reduce energy costs, boost agricultural productivity, and strengthen local economies while advancing decarbonization?
What policy signals, investment incentives, and cross-sector partnerships are needed to replicate successful projects and accelerate direct-use deployment across the region?
