In February 2026, energy leaders from across Central America and the Caribbean convened at a high-level forum to accelerate energy surplus commercialisation and modernise the Regional Electricity Market (MER). The virtual event was organised by the CIER Regional Energy Integration Commission in collaboration with GET.transform and support of the CIER Regional Committee for Central America and the Caribbean.
Building on the established robustness of the respective power pool, the Electric Interconnection System of the Countries of Central America (SIEPAC), the region is now transitioning towards a more commercially efficient and resilient market structure.
The forum joined over 400 representatives from governments, the private sector, cooperatives, and international organisations to develop a roadmap for this transition. Discussions highlighted how countries such as Costa Rica, with its renewable-heavy electricity matrix, are already acting as vital generators of surplus energy, an indication that regional integration is a primary driver for sustainable growth.
While SIEPAC provides the physical infrastructure, the market’s future depends on enhanced technical and operational flexibility. During the event, GET.transform facilitated a session titled “Integration of variable renewables and storage systems in regional electricity markets: operational, financial, and commercial implications.”
The session argued that as solar and wind power scale up, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential to maintain grid stability, increase system flexibility, and facilitate cross-border trade despite weather fluctuations.
The forum also enabled cross-regional learning by incorporating insights from the Dominican Republic. This exchange underscored the role of the GET.pro pillars, showing how, in a Global Gateway setting, the GET.transform and GET.invest platforms provide the combined technical advisory and investment facilitation necessary to turn regional policy goals into reality.
Moving forward, stakeholders can expect increased coordination between regional energy bodies to harmonise market rules, alongside a surge in requests for collaboration on storage policy and surplus trade frameworks.
