Energy in Action: The EU’s 1 Billion Bet in Central America
By Rebeca Turcios
Central America is a region located on the isthmus that connects North America with South America. It is composed of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, and has an approximate population of 47 million people. The region stands out for its extraordinary biodiversity, hosting around 7% of the world’s biodiversity. It features mountain ranges, numerous volcanoes, and a significant Mayan heritage. They have been increasingly threatened by deforestation and the conversion of areas with natural vegetation. Additionally, it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Demographically, Central America is relatively urbanised. Culturally, it combines Indigenous and colonial influences, with Spanish as the predominant language. Economically, it is known for ecotourism and agriculture, although it faces various development challenges. After decades marked by political instability and periods of dictatorship, it is increasingly centred on regional cooperation and sustainable development.
The EU–Central America Partnership
For decades, the European Union and Central America have maintained close relations, dating back to the support provided by European countries to peace efforts and the consolidation of Central American democracies in the 1980s, within the framework of the San José Process.
The Association Agreement between the EU and Central America, signed in 2012, provides the legal basis for further strengthening and expanding this bi-regional relationship. This year, following the completion of the ratification procedures, the relationship gained new momentum with the entry into force of the Agreement on May 1, 2024. Its three main pillars are political dialogue, cooperation, and trade. Currently, the EU is the region’s third-largest trading partner.
Entering A New Phase
2026 begins with renewed momentum for cooperation between Central America and Europe, particularly in the strategic field of energy. At a time marked by geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility, and mounting climate pressures, the energy transition is no longer framed solely as an environmental objective but as a matter of long-term cooperation between regions.
In this context, on November 10th of last year, EIB Global — the international development arm of the European Investment Bank — unveiled a major financing initiative during the EU–CELAC Summit celebrated in Colombia, aimed at accelerating Central America’s clean energy transition. The package, worth approximately €1 billion ($1.15 billion), is designed to strengthen regional electricity grid integration and expand renewable energy development across the region.
Inside the Initiative: “The Electricity Integration of Central America”
The funding forms part of the European Union’s Global Gateway Investment Agenda, which represents a significant step towards a more interconnected power system in Central America.
“Electricity Integration of Central America” — officially titled the initiative — will focus on modernising electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure— a lesser-known but core infrastructure of the energy transition. Improving grid reliability, efficiency, and cross-border connectivity will translate to fewer electricity losses and a more stable supply. The main objective is to deepen the regional integration of the region’s Electricity Market, enabling countries to trade power without risking security of supply and demand.
At the same time, the program seeks to stimulate the development of renewable energy capacity — including solar, wind, and other clean sources — in Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. While Costa Rica stands out as the regional leader, generating more than 95% of its electricity from renewable sources, other countries face structural and institutional challenges. Honduras has rapidly expanded its solar capacity, and El Salvador has developed significant geothermal resources, yet fiscal constraints and regulatory instability continue to limit investment. Belize, due to its small market size and infrastructure limitations, remains highly dependent on energy imports. Diversifying national energy mixes, therefore, translates not only into a reduction in dependence on fossil fuels but also into greater regional energy security and economic resilience.
In practical terms, the operation is expected to invest in five to six projects, each worth from $170-$400 million. These investments will be implemented through a combination of framework loans and direct investment loans to national public electricity utilities and regional institutions. Ensuring coordinated implementation and long-term financial sustainability.
From Climate Action to Market Alliances
According to EuropaWire, the program is designed to expand access to a reliable and affordable electricity supply for households, businesses, and public services. Importantly, the initiative supports the achievement of the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement, aligning infrastructure investment with international climate commitments. Notably, around 85% of the total funding is directed to climate action.
This project exemplifies the EU’s “Team Europe” approach, unifying the European Union — its Member States, multilateral institutions and the private sector to mobilise investment for local communities and economies across Central America. Under this model, public financing combined with strong institutions will tend to promote social standards and attract additional capital. Beyond its development objectives and regional focus, the benefits are not limited to Central America. It also opens opportunities for European companies seeking to participate in the region’s expanding energy market. Investments in technology, infrastructure, digitalisation, and others. Liking development cooperation with economic advancement.
EU Strategic Commitment
European leaders such as Nadia Calviño, President of the EIB Group, emphasised the bank’s role in accelerating clean energy deployment and boosting connectivity for millions of people. In the same line, António Costa, President of the European Council, stated that the EIB’s financial support evidences the EU’s long-term commitment to the region and to a shared green transition.
Similarly, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela added that the initiative not only accelerates renewable energy development, but according to him, it supports fair, sustainable, and stable economic growth, benefiting private and public sectors.
Altogether, these positions reflect a strategic political and economic partnership that goes beyond financing infrastructure between the EU and Central America — it advances energy sovereignty, climate commitments, and deeper bi-regional cooperation under the Global Gateway Investment Agenda. In this sense, energy integration becomes not only a technical mission, but a long-term regional sustainable cooperation.
More than Green
For years, Central America has not suffered from a lack of investment as much as from a lack of sustained political commitment by its leaders and more active civic engagement from its citizens. The region undoubtedly possesses significant natural wealth that deserves protection, a strategic geographic position, a high concentration of renewable energy potential within a relatively small territory, and an already existing regional electricity market. Taken together, these factors make this region an attractive and potentially profitable investment destination for the EU bloc.
This project represents far more than a financial commitment to renewable infrastructure; it reflects the strategic interests of two regions determined not to fall behind in a rapidly transforming global landscape. The relevance of this initiative lies in its multidimensional impact: energy security, economic competitiveness, climate change mitigation, and geopolitical positioning are increasingly interconnected.
For Central America, the project offers an opportunity to reduce structural vulnerabilities, particularly dependence on imported fossil fuels, exposure to energy price volatility, and the fragmentation of national electricity markets. For the Union, the initiative reinforces its climate leadership abroad while diversifying its strategic partnerships.
From an analytical perspective, the program can be understood as a pragmatic model of contemporary development cooperation, where climate objectives intersect with market creation and political alignment. Rather than traditional aid, the initiative operates as a catalytic investment designed to generate long-term economic and institutional transformation. It illustrates how international alliances are evolving in the era of the energy transition.
Objectively, however, the long-term success of the initiative will depend less on the magnitude of the financing and more on governance capacity. Expectations surrounding the project are high, yet its outcome will rely not only on planning but also on effective implementation, an area historically challenged by political fragmentation, inconsistent policy continuity, and limited regional coordination. Regional integration projects have traditionally faced implementation obstacles, and this initiative will be no exception.
Therefore, while the program holds transformative potential, its results ultimately depend on sustained national policy commitment and strengthened regional cooperation mechanisms. In this sense, the initiative represents both an opportunity and a test: an opportunity to accelerate a cleaner and more integrated energy future, and a test of whether bi-regional partnerships can translate financial ambition into tangible and measurable outcomes in Central America.
On the other hand, failure to achieve the project’s objectives could reinforce perceptions of the region as a high-risk investment destination, potentially discouraging future international financing and limiting development opportunities. Conversely, if successful, the initiative could attract additional investment, stimulate sustainable economic growth, and improve living conditions for millions of people across the region. Ultimately, the energy transition today is not solely about power generation or financial resources. What remains uncertain is whether this initiative will materialise as a concrete transformation or remain merely an ambitious vision that risks falling short without consistent political commitment from regional governments.
It is also important to recognise that, although the initiative is often discussed at the regional level and Central America is treated as a single unit, outcomes will likely vary across countries due to their distinct infrastructure capacities and political environments, among other factors. Nevertheless, the program represents a meaningful first step for a region with significant potential, one that, despite its challenges, continues to demonstrate promising opportunities for sustainable development and partnership.
