During 2019, 80 environmental impact studies were presented to carry out work on electrical networks and to build energy generation plants in different areas of Central American countries.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", of the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, includes an updated list of public and private construction projects that present environmental impact studies (EIS) to the respective institutions in each country.
In the first three months of 2019, 14 environmental impact studies were presented in the countries of the region to perform work on electricity grids and develop power generation plants.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions of each country.
Banco Agromercantil de Guatemala announced a $43 million loan for the construction of part of the 54 MW Ventus wind farm to be located in the municipality of Metapán.
Lack of legal certainty, electricity theft and social conflicts are forcing businessmen in Guatemala's energy sector to choose to relocate their investments to El Salvador.
Last year, the companies Applied Energy Services (AES) and Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI), both US and Guatemalan capital, decided to invest $47 million in solar energy projects, encouraged by the facilities offered to the energy sector in El Salvador.
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.
Environmental impact studies have been submitted for the construction of a park for the generation of wind energy and another one for solar energy, both of 20MW of power.
Data from the interactive information system "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData.
In Panama, the Supreme Court of Justice has annulled an environmental impact study for a wind farm with 75 wind turbines, which was planned to be built in the Fortuna forest reserve.
Arguing that the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) should have been category III, instead of II, because it is within a protected area, the Third Chamber of the Court for contentious administrative proceedings decided to declare the resolution of 2014, "null for being illegal", a resolution which had approved the EIA submitted by the company Luz Eólica de Panamá.
The amount that the state-owned electricity company plans to spend this year in the purchase of energy from private generators is 30% higher than in 2016.
The estimate of what needs to be allocated for purchasing energy from private generators in 2017 amounts to $243 million, and will be the highest amount spent so far by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) in this area.
The need for Panama to renew its power generation matrix has become a source of new business for companies in the sector and also for banking.
The project to build a 670 MW gas plant in the province of Colon, being run by the company Panama NG Power, is the best example of the potential for development that the Panamanian electricity market has, which has already drawn the attention of banks.
In August, the national installed capacity amounted to 3,013 MW, comprising of 28% hydro power using reservoir technology, 29% run over river hydro, 35% thermal, 7% wind and the rest was photovoltaic.
From a report by the National Public Services Authority:
I. INSTALLED CAPACITY AND FIRM CAPACITY BY AGENT AND BY PLANT
Actis and Mesoamerica have agreed to sell SunEdison 100% of its interest in Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy, which operates in the area of renewable energy plants.
From a statement issued by Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy:
Actis and Mesoamerica, investment and consultancy firms based in Costa Rica and Colombia have agreed to sell 100% of their combined interest in Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy (GME), a leader in the business of wind energy and solar energy in Central America, to SundEdison. SunEdison is the largest developer of renewable energy in the world.
An announcement has been made of the launch of a wind power generation plant built and operated by the company Terra Energy in San Marcos de Colón, in the department of Choluteca.
The plant has the capacity to generate 50 MW, with 25 wind turbines and is located south of the capital. The project required an investment of $100 million and was completed before the agreed time, three years.
Between 2007 and 2014 the share of energy generated from renewable sources in the energy matrix of the country increased from 50% to 64%, led by hydropower and biomass.
At the end of 2014 records showed that 951.7 MW was generated by hydropower, equivalent to 37% of the national electrical grid. Additionally, 101 MW of generated by wind power was consumed and 88 MW generated by solar energy.
Wind and bagasse plants will resume the upload of all of their electricity production to the national grid, after having reduced the amount in the past few days, at the government's request.
After a meeting between representatives from the National Electricity Transmission Company (Enatrel) and renewable energy power plants, an agreement has been mde to normalize production and resume supply to the national grid.
A proposal has been made for the price per KW / h produced from wind and solar energy in private plants to be established according to a price band in which the maximum and minimum would be below current levels.
It is expected that in February the reform which aims to change the methodology for fixing the selling prices of solar and wind energy from private companies will be put to public consultation, with the goal of creating a more competitive range. This setting only applies to new companies since for existing ones specific prices have been established.