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An Application of the Multiple Streams Framework to the Analysis of the Inclusion of Solar Energy in the Energy Mix in Paraguay
Author(s) -
Becker Pessolani Carlos Gustavo
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
latin american policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.195
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2041-7373
pISSN - 2041-7365
DOI - 10.1111/lamp.12089
Subject(s) - energy mix , context (archaeology) , energy policy , environmental economics , energy (signal processing) , government (linguistics) , inclusion (mineral) , economic shortage , solar energy , energy engineering , business , energy planning , christian ministry , politics , economics , natural resource economics , efficient energy use , political science , renewable energy , engineering , electricity generation , sociology , geography , law , mathematics , statistics , physics , electrical engineering , gender studies , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
The energy debate is growing in Latin America in a context of increasing energy demands, due to higher economic growth, but the situation in Paraguay presents contradictions, mainly deficient electric energy service and an unsustainable energy mix in a country that produces a clean‐energy surplus. In 2014, the Paraguayan Vice Ministry of Mines and Energy introduced solar energy into the mix. This article seeks to answer two questions. First, what led to the conclusion that the energy mix is unsustainable, with solar energy viewed as the solution? Second, what other solutions were positively considered but decided against and why? In answering these questions, I use the theoretical approach of the Multiple Streams Framework as an instrument to analyze the agenda‐setting and decision‐making processes. This article concludes that a sum of indicators regarding energy supply shortage and increasing demand exerted serious pressure on the government to classify the current energy mix as unsustainable, but an attempt to reorganize the energy sector by creating a new Ministry of Energy, Mines and Hydrocarbons was abandoned because of political disinterest.