While discussions continue at the national roundtable on energy which will supposedly inform the government and the public of its findings in the month of March, President Solis has already ruled out the use of geothermal energy in protected areas. "... This is the second time that the Government has brought forward criterion; they did it in November, when burying the Power Contingency Act. That plan would have allowed greater private participation. "

Nacion.com reports that "... Although not impeding their progress, this prohibition weakens the three bills on geothermal energy which are under analysis in the Legislative Assembly. In two of them (18,182 and 19,339), the Libertarian Movement aims to exploit this source of energy throughout the national territory, via the ICE and private firms. "

"... With project 19,233, instead they are seeking for exploitation to be permitted anywhere in the parks, but only in the hands of ICE and using stringent environmental requirements. " The deputy Otton Solis said "... We need to open up all possible options when it comes to friendly energies that create jobs. The project will continue, but without the support of the President it is losing strength. "

Source: Nacion.com

More on this topic

Geothermal Energy and National Parks

June 2017

Finally, the Congress in Costa Rica will discuss a bill that proposes the exploration and exploitation of geothermal energy in national park lands.

Studies carried out by the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) estimate potential geothermal energy generation in the country at 875 MW, where current installed capacity is 195 MW.

Exploitation of Geothermal Energy Throughout Costa Rica

October 2014

The deputy leader of the ruling bloc has presented a bill that authorizes the state power company to exploit geothermal energy in protected areas: national parks, biological and forest reserves and wildlife refuges.

"It is nonsense, from an economic, social and environmental standpoint, that the country is rejects the use of existing stocks of geothermal resources in protected areas, like those for example in national parks or forest reserves."

Costa Rica: Geothermal Energy in Protected Areas

July 2014

A leading figure in the ruling party has introduced a bill that would allow state electricity company to produce geothermal energy in national parks or protected areas.

According to the deputy Otton Solis, member of the Citizen Action Party and sponsor of the bill, "... in the national parks there is a potential of about 350 megawatts of geothermal energy that can be harnessed, under highly rigorous environmental requirements."

Costa Rica: Request for New Volcanic Energy Bill

April 2013

Costa Rica's state run power company is urging Congress to lift some of the restrictions on the exploitation of underground heat sources in places that have been declared as protected areas.

According to the president of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), Teofilo de la Torre, it is important that this bill be received as soon as possible, "national parks have restricted uses and extracting steam from the land for geothermal use is one of them, the 'Rincon de la Vieja' volcano has great characteristics for steam extraction. If we know that there is a high possibility of increasing clean energy we have to try it. "