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Panama President Juan Carlos Varela was joined by former U.S. President Bill Clinton to launch a solar power facility in David, described as the largest the photovoltaic solar park in the country.

The new IKAKOS Solar Park is part of an initiative to transform Panama’s energy system, Varela said. Panama is also home to the largest wind farm in Central America and the Caribbean, the Laudato Si Wind Farm in Coclé.

“It is important to highlight that with this project we are expanding the energy matrix of Panama, which allows us to meet the electricity demand of approximately 30,000 families,” Varela said.

The $48 million IKAKOS solar project is part of the Renewable Energy Supply initiative, which seeks to offer large clients 100 percent renewable energy through the combination of solar, wind and water. The complex consists of four 10-MW solar plants, with a total of 138,960 panels, capable of generating 84.58 GWh annually.

The focus on renewables puts Panama at the forefront of future energy generation in the region. It also fits the efforts of the Clinton Global Initiative, which seeks to reduce carbon emissions around the world, which is why Clinton was on hand.

“Now Panama and its neighbor Costa Rica have given themselves the opportunity to show the world that they can grow in a sustainable way, generating energy and, through this, create jobs that help people pay their bills,” Clinton said.