The Inter-American Development Bank has granted a loan that will be used to finance energy efficiency projects for small and medium-sized companies.
The funds for this loan come from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and will be executed by the Development Bank of El Salvador (BANDESAL). The objective of the financing granted is to support the efforts being made by SMEs in El Salvador to reduce electricity consumption and limit greenhouse gas emissions, reported the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
In El Salvador, Nautilius Inkia, Nautilius Distribution and Nautilus Isthmus have been given approval to acquire the share capital of Nejapa Power Company, Cenérgica and Poliwatt Limitada.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Competition (SC):
Tuesday, July 10, 2018.The Board of Directors of the Superintendence of Competitionauthorized the request for economic concentration consisting of the acquisition of the share capital of Nejapa Power Company, S.A., Cenérgica, S.A. de C.V. and Poliwatt, Limitada, by Nautilius Inkia Holdings LLC, Nautilius Distribution Holdings LLC and Nautilius Isthmus Holdings LLC.
In El Salvador, Energía del Pacifico has announced that it has met the requirements to obtain financing, and that it will start construction of the plant in the third quarter of the year.
In El Salvador, 28 MW of non-conventional renewable solar and biogas-based energy for distributed generation will be put out to tender, and the presentation of offers is scheduled for December.
The Salvadoran government reported that "...The total power to be tendered is 28 Megawatts, of which 20 Megawatts correspond to solar photovoltaic and 8 Megawatts to Biogas, the winners will be hired for a period of 15 years and are expected to start operations from the year 2020 and 2021 respectively."
Last year, 87 environmental impact studies were submitted in the countries in the region, for the construction of power generation plants and works on electricity networks.
Panama is the country in the region where the largest investment is concentrated, with an approximate $1.29 billion in energy projects, corresponding to 32 environmental impact studies submitted to the Ministry of the Environment between January and December 2017.
The plant that AES El Salvador has inaugurated in La Union, required a $160 million investment, and has 44 thousand polycrystalline-type photovoltaic modules, in an area of 149 sqm.
Pasaquina is the first of ten solar power generation plants that AES El Salvador and Corporación Multi Inversiones plan to build in the three phases of the project. It is expected that the plants will start operations gradually over the next two years.
From June 5 to 9, companies from the energy industry will be gathering together in San Pedro Sula to take part in business conferences and discuss issues that are relevant to the sector.
The initiative is being run by state entities and the private sector, and will take place between June 5 and 9 at the Convention Center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cortés (CCIC) in San Pedro Sula.
Corporación AES El Salvador has announced that this year it will replace 50 thousand electromechanical meters with digital meters, and will increase the voltage of the energy supplied in the center of the capital.
Regarding the plan to raise the voltage from 4.16 Kv to 23 Kv in downtown San Salvador, representatives from the energy company explained that the increase will be made in order to respond to growth that has been registered in demand.
Price of the gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $4.02, Honduras $3.68, Nicaragua $3.61, El Salvador $3.24, Guatemala $3.21, and Panama $2.97.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The drop in fuel prices is largely due to record US oil production, which for a second consecutive week exceeded 10 million barrels placing it as the second largest producer in the world below Russia; as well as an increase in exports, a reduction of imports and the strengthening of the dollar in the raw material markets at an international level.[GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Price of gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $3.98, Nicaragua $3.80, Honduras $3.71, Guatemala $3.32, El Salvador $3.32 and Panama $2.99.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The United States reported its second increase in its oil inventories on February 7 of this year, in which its production reached a record of 10.25 million barrels per day (bpd) in the last week, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); where an 11 week downward streak was reversed, affected by low temperatures and the holiday season.
Price of gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $3.93, Nicaragua $3.74, Honduras $3.63, Guatemala $3.31, El Salvador $3.29 and Panama $2.99.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The harsh winter that has hit the United States has caused an increase in the production of energy generated frompetroleumderivatives, which is used for heating, as well as the general consumption of derivatives in the North American country, which has contributed to a decrease in reserves in the United States.[GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
With 19% endemic poverty, 10% open unemployment and 40% informal employment, and some of the highest electricity rates in the region, Costa Rica is opposed to $1 billion in clean energy investments.
EDITORIAL
By Jorge Cobas González
Meanwhile, the bureaucracy of state-owned companies continues to prescribe first-world remuneration, and continues to protect its privileges following ECLAC development concepts from the middle of the last century, which are utterly out of place today.Because Costa Rica does not have the investment capacity or know-how necessary for the development of latest generation renewable energy projects, even though it has all of the necessary primary conditions: sun, wind, thermal energy.
A decrease has been reported in the number of gas stations owned by the state company, which in 2011 began an aggressive expansion plan in the country.
The perception that gasoline is of poor quality and that management of the business has not been the best, are two of the reasons to which, in part, the reduction in the number of gas stations owned by Alba Petróleos has been attributed.
In 2016, the average cost of 1 kWh in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica, it was 18.47 cents.
A report from the CEPAL indicates that in 2016, the average cost of one kilowatt hour (kWh) in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica it was 18.47 cents; 37% more for industrial consumption of 100,000 kWh.In El Salvador and Guatemala, it was 11.03 and 11.54 cents respectively. In Panama, 10.92 cents.
Details of the most relevant construction projects by country in terms of investment, for which environmental impact studies were submitted at the end of the third quarter of this year.
Data from the interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: