Clean Energy Via Wind, Solar And Biomass in Costa Rica
“Costa Rica knows that decarbonization is the great task of our generation, and we want to be the first country in the world to achieve it. We are putting decarbonization at the heart of our national development, public investment, and long-term strategic plan. Our nation has understood that responding to climate change requires transformational – not incremental – shifts and that the government has a key role to play in charting the path for such transformations,” says President Alvarado of Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) is engaging in the construction of electricity generation projects utilizing wind, solar, and biomass resources, this operation will start within the next two years. These plants will have a total capacity of 412 MW and an estimated of 539 million dollars in investment.
In total the solar plants will provide 270 MW, the wind plants will contribute 122 MW and the biomass plants will supply 20 MW. ICE will develop, public-private partnerships in accordance with Law 7200. The process to award the first private units resumed in March and is currently being executed.
“This aggressive plan full of new incorporations is possible, on one hand, because ICE was freed from the investment cap to which the Fiscal Rule subjected it. The new plants will strengthen the diversity of the matrix, reducing the need for thermal backup in summer and consolidating our world leadership,” said Marco Acuña, president of ICE Group.
Franz Tattenbach, Minister of Environment and Energy, highlighted the country’s commitment to boosting sustainable energy production.
“Costa Rica is betting for the first time on solar energy. With this measure, in a forward-looking manner, this Administration is responding to the present and future effects of El Niño, especially those that cause meteorological and hydrological droughts. Likewise, months ago, we published a Decree to encourage utilizing energy produced with biomass.”
ICE, in addition to its ownership of solar and wind power plants, will boom its energy portfolio in the years to come. This expansion includes the Borinquen I (2027) and II (2032) Geothermal Projects in Liberia, contributing to firm energy supply, as well as the Fourth Cliff Hydroelectric Project (2030) in Siquirres, enhancing regulatory capacity.
In the months to come, the Institute plans to release new bids targeting the private sector to obtain additional solar and wind capacity, wanting to reach the maximum capacity permitted by the law.
