Third EAGE Workshop on Geothermal Energy
12-14 November 2025 | Guanacaste , Costa Rica
Regulatory Panel
Tony Méndez
Sectoral Coordinator for Energy Policy- MINAE
Master's degree in Development Economics with an emphasis on Macroeconomic Management and Public Policy, and Electrical Engineer in Power Systems, with extensive experience in supervising electricity generation projects using renewable energy sources and energy transmission and distribution works. Specialist in Energy Regulation at the Regulatory Authority for Public Services, where I served as Coordinator of Investments in the Energy Sector and Coordinator of the development of regulatory instruments necessary for the technical and economic regulation of the energy sector and distributed energy resources. I currently serve as Sectoral Coordinator of Energy Policy in the Secretariat of Sectoral Planning for the Environment and Energy of MINAE.
Julio Olmedo Cornejo
Regulatory Consultant - Member of the Ecuadorian Geothermal Association
Julio Olmedo Cornejo is an energy-sector legal strategist focused on geothermal, hydrocarbons, and power projects across Latin America. He designs and de-risks high-impact transactions by translating regulation into bankable bids and efficient contracts, aligning permitting and regulatory frameworks with industry needs.
Julio has led and advised multiple competitive processes and negotiations between energy-industry participants and governments, notably the Chacana–Papallacta geothermal project, Chachimbiro Phase I (Ecuador), and Laguna Colorada (Bolivia). Previously, he served as Legal Coordinator at Ecuador’s electricity regulator (ARCONEL), experience he leverages to accelerate compliance, interface with authorities, and reduce execution risk in energy projects.
He is an active member of the Ecuadorian Geothermal Association and holds several international certifications in sustainable development transformation and business development. Julio is strengthening his strategic capabilities through an LLM in corporate law and an MBA.
Eric Herra Chacón
Generation and Projects Manager - Coopeguanacaste
Eric F. Herra Chacón is the current Generation and Projects Manager at Coopeguanacaste R.L. He is an Electronics Engineer, graduated from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC), and holds two postgraduate degrees from the same university: a Master's in Electromechanical Engineering with a focus on Maintenance Management and another in Business Administration with a focus on Finance. He has over 26 years of experience in renewable energy, leading the technical direction of hydroelectric, wind, solar, and, more recently, biomass projects using municipal waste. He also directed the country's first energy storage project at power plants for Coopeguanacaste R.L. Coopeguanacaste is currently developing a portfolio of projects with over 137 MW of installed capacity in wind and solar power, which will begin commercial operation in 2027, contributing to the country's energy transition goals.
