More renewable power, same old problems? Scope and limitations of renewable energy programs in Argentina

Abstract

Within the framework of policies for current energy transitions, Argentina has implemented two national programs for the incorporation of renewable energy into the electricity generation matrix: Genren and Renovar. From a socio-technical perspective, in this work we carry out a multidimensional approach to both policies, outlining their main characteristics and identifying their scope and limitations. Based on this, we analyze these processes from the concept of socio-technical transitions, trying to overcome deterministic views. This perspective aims at contributing to the reflection on the characteristics that the processes of energy transitions towards sustainability should have in less developing countries. This is because, often, the incorporation of renewable energies is the only variable consider of these processes, which do not transform, for example, the inequality of access to basic services.