Nicaragua intends on developing solar power as a way to ease up on its petroleum dependency.

“Four photovoltaic (solar) projects are moving forward in order to generate solar power in the country. Among them are the Euro Solar program, which will benefit 42 communities (some 7,000 families) in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region,” Energy and Mining Vice Minister Lorenza Lanzas said.

Euro Solar, a cooperation program under the European Union's EuropeAid, is carrying out similar solar projects throughout Latin America to reach 600 of the region's most isolated communities, according to a news release from the EU agency.

“In this project more than $2 million are being invested by the European Union and $400,000 by the government of Nicaragua,” Lanzas said.

The vice minister said experts in the solar energy field were to meet in Managua this week to share experiences and discuss the barriers that have held Central America back in solar power development.

Proponents of solar energy seek to limit Nicaragua's dependency on petroleum, which now provides 80 percent of the country's energy needs.