Transición energética, cadenas de valor y presencia china: El caso de Argentina
Gonzáles Jáuregui, J., & Trevignani, M. (2026). Transición energética, cadenas de valor y presencia china: el caso de Argentina (América Latina, China y una Transición Energética Justa: Serie de Documentos de Trabajo). Universidad del Pacífico Centro de Estudios sobre China y Asia-Pacífico, Boston University Global Development Policy Center. https://cechap.up.edu.pe/wp-content/uploads/1.-Gonzalez-y-Trevignani-Transicion-energetica-en-Argentina-.pdf
This paper addresses the just energy transition in Argentina by analyzing the presence of Chinese companies in the renewable energy and lithium mining sectors. The country occupies a strategic position due to its natural resource endowment, especially with regard to lithium. Argentina’s energy transition policy has progressed through programs such as RenovAr, MATER, and the Distributed Generation Law, along with the 2030 and 2050 Guidelines. However, the energy mix remains heavily based on fossil fuels, and limitations persist in consolidating a coherent national strategy that combines decarbonization goals with social justice and productive development.
Between 2000 and 2024, Chinese investments in Argentina totaled US$41.75 billion, concentrated in mining and energy. Companies such as Ganfeng, Zijin, and Tsingshan in lithium, and Goldwind and Envision in renewable energy, have expanded their presence through extraction projects, solar and wind farms, acquisitions, and financing. Based on a database constructed for this study and 13 interviews with public, private, and community stakeholders, the characteristics of this Chinese presence and its implications for a just energy transition are examined.
The findings of this analysis show that, although opportunities for partial industrialization exist—such as the Tsingshan plant in Perico—value addition and diversification face significant barriers: lack of economic scale, absence of complementary inputs, limited infrastructure, and, above all, the lack of a national strategy for electromobility and a just energy transition. The provinces play a central but uneven role: Jujuy has engaged more actively with Chinese companies, while in Catamarca, problems related to coordination, workforce training, and local content prevail.
The study concludes that the Chinese presence represents an opportunity to attract investment and expand capabilities, but it also poses challenges related to external dependence, weak local supply chains, and socio-environmental governance. Without a clear and coordinated national strategy, investments progress in a fragmented manner, and offer limited benefits for inclusive and sustainable development.
