Threat of drought turns alerts for the beginning of year

Producers from Caribbean and from the north area already suffer some attacks

ICE takes action and so far, blackouts or rationing are discard

December 31st,2013.

The shortage of registered in 2013, especially in the Caribbean region and northern rains, keeps alarms by fire early this year because the situation could be repeated.

Entities such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep) have already taken some steps to address the consequences of any lack of water resources.

According to projections (IMN) National Meteorological Institute, last year was the third straight in which the average annual and seasonal precipitation (December-February) is not exceeded in the Caribbean slope.

That would cause a negative impact on socio-economic activities such as agriculture, water availability for human consumption and hydroelectric generation.

Both in the Caribbean region and in Los Chiles, Alajuela,-cut I made in late November, there had been up to 30 percent less rainfall than usual in some areas, recognized Juan Carlos Fallas, CEO of IMN.

Apparently, the situation could be maintained very similar during the first months of this new year.

Agro targeted. Whilst it is true that farmers in Guanacaste and the Central Pacific are used to deal with the onslaught of strong summers, the Caribbean and the north have that experience.

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Winds of Tilarán will move a new energy project

The wind farm of 49.5 megawatt will be activated in the first half of 2014

Company 'Acciona Energía' and local partner promoted work of $111 million

December 29th,2013.

Winds comb drive Tilarán Canton, next year, a new park for wind power generation, which invested $ 111 million.

The name Chiripa Wind Project, the field of 33 wind turbines of 1.5 megawatts (MW) each, will provide 49.5 MW from the first half of 2014, said a paid published by firms Acciona Energy (Spain) and Ecoenergía Group (Costa Rica) on 16 December in this journal.

The works are financed by a loan from the National Bank, said the document of these companies, which are presented as Chiripa Wind Consortium. The Spanish owns 65% of the company.

Located in Quebrada Grande, in the area known as La Chiripa, installation is the result of a notice of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) awarded to Acciona Energy.

The designation carries the signature of a contract for sale of energy for a period of 20 years and the realization of the wind farm by the formula BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer-build-operate-transfer).

According to the document, the group will design, build and operate the park during the 20 years of the contract. Once that period expires, the ownership of the facility will go to ICE.

When connected to the grid, the park will 200,000 MW per year; accurate website Acciona Energy.

Boosting renewable energy. 49.5 MW of this site will be added to the 138 MW of installed capacity contributing five projects in operation, Maria Guzman, Deputy Minister of Environmental Management and Energy, Ministry of Environment and Energy said.

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ICE obtains $ 1,400 million for Hydroelectric Project 'Reventazón'

Funding will conclude hydro in late 2016

Project will have a capacity of 305.5 megawatts and will be located in Limón

December 21st,2013.

ICE signed Thursday in Washington two loan agreements for $ 1,400 million, which will serve to conclude in late 2016 Reventazón Hydroelectric Project in the bed of the river Reventazón in Limón, Limón.

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad of the funding managed by a multilateral agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.

The Institute agreed to place bonds between international investors and banks, Nacional, Costa Rica, People and Farm Credit of Carthage.

The project is located in the middle reaches of the river Reventazón, 8 km southwest of Limón.

Will be launched at the end of its construction, the largest hydroelectric plant installed capacity in the country, with 305.5 megawatts, which will supply to 525,000 households.

Made at ICE. "We have shown we can do extraordinary tasks. Our teams were able to create a very complex financial structure and an unprecedented amount: $ 1,400 million, "said Martin Vindas, CEO of ICE.

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Costa Rica: among the top 10 in the world in energy performance

Report highlights the country as a world leader in renewable energy

Minister of Environment ensures that emissions from public transport sector are the main problem

December 12th,2013.

Costa Rica is part of the prestigious group of the 10 countries with the best energy performance, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Economic Forum (WEF, for its acronym in English).

The index, which measures the ability to provide safe, affordable and sustainable energy, the country appears in ninth place, surpassing developed nations like UK, Canada and Germany.

Costa Rica with Colombia (ranquin number 7) are the only Latin American representatives located in the top places. They are also the only middle-income nations in the top 10.

The world's best energy performance, according to the WEF, are Norway, New Zealand, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Colombia, Spain, Costa Rica and Latvia.

"Costa Rica has established itself as a world leader in renewable energy, with considerable investment in the development and expansion of the capacity of renewable energy, especially wind (produced with wind)," cites the global report .

To the Minister of Environment and Energy, René Castro, the analysis highlights the countries that are better prepared for climate change and have a cleaner production than the average energy.

"We have many different sources for all types of energy, from geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric wind up." Castro actually said Costa Rica numbers are better. "We punish in electricity coverage because they have old information, current coverage is 99.3%."

The report notes that Costa Rica was 52% of its Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES, acronym in English) from renewable energy, with 99% of the electricity produced by predominantly hydroelectric renewable sources.

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