Costa Rica wasted solar energy for electricity generation

Absence of clear regulation slows growth of generation with solar panels

March 22nd,2015

With a privileged climate and sunlight, Costa Rica possesses the means to generate more electricity from that source that develops rapidly in the world conditions.

The country has modern hydroelectric plants that are, according to researchers, the ideal complement of solar energy.

The Costa Rican Association of Solar Energy (Acesolar) even consider that hydroelectric plants can store solar energy powered generators and motors to produce pumping water return.

Today, solar generation base, despite being still in its infancy, generating more than 1,000 jobs in 30 companies associated with the sector.

Privilege wasted

Data provided by Dr. Monica Morales Masis, Costa Rican who works at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, indicate that if solar panels were installed on the roof of one in ten households in Costa Rica (1.2 million houses), could be covered with clean energy that 10% of the demand for electricity currently produced fuels.

The savings would be significant in that scenario.

According to the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP), in 2015 the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) ¢ 56,152,000 spent on purchase of fuel for the operation of its thermal plants.

These facilities generate 5.73% of the estimated electricity demand this year. During the dry season, that kind of generation would reach 8.95%.

More capacity on hold

Weather and national infrastructure conditions suggest Dr.. Morales still have more opportunity for improvement which would meet the growing demand for electricity with solar power.

Acesolar goes further. Based on the calculations of the organization, distributed generation with solar power injected into the national grid would, in a few years, able to cover almost the entire energy demand of the country. This when the price of storage systems that allow mitigating the variability of solar power and growth of small projects of this generation incentive is reduced because large have higher performance per watt installed.

However, the country does not fail more than a small part of the solar irradiation and generates only 10 megawatts maximum amount set by the ICE a pilot plan. The same that closed in February.

Read more: "El Financiero"