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Mario Ruiz-Tagle, company CEO, spoke of the security for new investments and new technologies for decarbonization

"We are constantly seeking ways to advance in the energy transition. This is a theme that has been highlighted in the last few years, mainly due to studies conducted by specialists and international organizations", said Mario Ruiz-Tagle, Neoenergia's CEO during the 18^th Enase (National Meeting of the Electricity Sector Agents), in the panel "Companies in the sector and their role in the energy transition".

The CEO signaled the importance of incorporating new generation technologies such as marine wind power, pumping plants, technologies in which the Iberdrola group, the company's controller, has experience.  Below are the highlights of his participation.

What is your vision of the energy transition?

It is clear that the climate is changing and the phenomena of these changes are increasingly evident. Today, there is a consensus about the need for an energy transformation on our planet. 

The electric sector can make resources available to the population to encourage this transition, which clearly has the objective of reducing global warming, the result of CO2 emissions by our society. 

I believe that there will not be another chance to reduce and reach the stipulated goals. The companies' commitment is very important, and it is very good to see how the private sector has an active role in provoking debates and motivating the creation of public policies, engaging governments and states in this purpose. It is important to build an efficient and concept-driven regulation towards all these promising technologies. We have to seek to maximize the forces of all the agents involved in this process. 

What are the main paths to take when we talk about energy transition?

Energy transformation is not a rupture, it is transition, and every transition is gradual. With its development, new innovative technologies are generated, which create jobs, income and opportunities for the population. Neoenergia has been actively working for 25 years on this path of energetic sustainability, bringing more and more clean energy. 

We need to strengthen the distribution grid and expand the transmission grids, which help bring green energy to our customers, be they residential, commercial, industrial, public lighting or whatever.  This will allow for more flexibility, as well as digitalization of the grid and more efficiency.

Investments in technology and clean energy are a point of no return. The challenges lie in regulation and the incorporation of newly developed technologies.

What needs to be done to boost decarbonization?

We need to maintain investments, continue with public policies organized and studied so that they are able to foresee the impacts and the external factors that lie ahead.

The goals set to reduce the impacts of climate change, the decarbonization, are relevant and should be measurable and auditable at all times, as well as reflected in our commitments to our employees, customers, and country.  The business model and the opportunity ahead, through sustainable development, renewable energy and transmission grids, support the emergence of new technologies. 

I highlight the potential of marine wind, batteries, and reversible hydroelectric plants. Brazil needs a strong electricity sector because electric energy will be the engine of the world in the coming years.

What are the fundamental aspects to consider when we talk about modernizing the electricity sector?

Stability, predictability, legal security, and a scenario of respect for contracts are fundamental to talk about any modernization environment. The crisis gives us opportunities to modernize, even more so when we have lessons learned, such as issues related to the time consumed in environmental licensing, it is not a matter of reducing requirements, but of gaining agility.  We certainly need to accelerate the energy transition; I have no doubt about what is the path and the solution. We need to get the world's energy matrix right.  There is no point in Brazil playing its role and other countries being left out.