The third and final webinar in the “Energy Access and Energy Poverty” series showcased experiences from Chile and Mexico City, highlighting community participation, partnerships, and the importance of adapting projects to local realities
How can local governments expand access to clean and affordable energy, particularly in vulnerable communities and territories with limited resources? This was the central question of the third and final webinar in the “Energy Access and Energy Poverty” series, held by GCoM Latam on October 28.
The event brought together speakers from Chile and Mexico City to share experiences, community-based models, and decentralized solutions that can help municipalities reduce energy poverty and advance a more just and inclusive energy transition.
Community energy and local participation
Rodrigo Ignacio Barrera, Head of the Territorial Development and Engagement Office at Chile’s Energy Sustainability Agency, emphasized that the energy transition must consider not only infrastructure but also the accessibility, quality, and affordability of energy services.
“The energy transition also has a human side,” he stated, emphasizing that solutions must respond to the needs of each territory and involve communities from project planning through to operation.
Barrera presented the Comuna Energética (Energy Municipality) program, which supports Chilean municipalities in planning and implementing local initiatives. According to the data shared, 144 municipalities had joined the program, 131 had published energy strategies, and more than 60 projects had already been implemented.
Highlighted experiences included community solar projects in Petorca, benefiting 44 families with members who are dependent on electricity for medical needs, and Talagante, serving 193 households selected based on vulnerability criteria.
These models make it possible to distribute the benefits of solar generation among families who may not have the means or suitable conditions to install solar panels on their own homes.
“In this sense, the challenge is not technological — it is not about photovoltaic panels — but social,” Barrera explained, highlighting the importance of community participation, partnerships, and financing mechanisms that ensure the long-term sustainability of these initiatives.
Mexico City: energy and territorial inequality
Carlos Osorio, advisor to Mexico City’s Secretariat of Economic Development, shared the energy challenges facing one of Latin America’s largest metropolitan areas, where, according to the data presented, between 97% and 98% of the energy consumed comes from outside the city.
He also highlighted inequalities in access to energy services. According to a local indicator presented during the webinar, 46.6% of the population experiences energy poverty.
In response, Mexico City is developing initiatives that integrate energy, housing, and climate action. These include rainwater harvesting and solar water heater programs, with sustainable technologies installed in approximately 9,000 homes.
Osorio also presented the Central de Abasto photovoltaic power plant, a publicly owned facility with a capacity of 17.5 MW. The city is evaluating the possibility of allocating part of its electricity generation to social programs, linking renewable energy production with efforts to reduce inequality.
A people-centered energy transition
The experiences shared reinforced that expanding energy access requires more than infrastructure investment. For local governments, it is essential to identify the population’s needs, promote community participation, build partnerships, and ensure project continuity.
As Barrera summarized, community participation should be present “from the moment we identify needs to the moment we design solutions.”
With this event, GCoM Latam concluded the “Energy Access and Energy Poverty” webinar series, aimed at strengthening local governments’ capacities in assessing needs, planning, financing, and implementing energy solutions adapted to their territories.
