Favorable financing conditions for the purchase of this type of vehicle and lower rates for freight services are part of the actions proposed by the government of Costa Rica to boost sales of electric vehicles.
The state-owned Banco Popular, Banco Nacional and Banco de Costa Rica are the financial entities that will offer attractive conditions in their credit lines for the purchase of electric transportation units.
Public consultation is being carried out on the methodology for calculating tariffs for power generation from solid waste.
The drop in oil prices and high operating costs are not the only obstacles to projects generating energy from waste in Costa Rica. Now the Regulatory Authority of Public Services is calling for a public hearing in order to "start writing" a methodology, ordinary and extraordinary, that will determine the reference rates for power plants using municipal solid waste.
In Costa Rica operators in the sector indicate that there are no incentives for renewable energy generation due to excessive interconnection and access fees.
The tariff structure and rates established by the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep) caused widespread discontent for entrepreneurs with interests in solar power generation.
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad may continue the pilot scheme for connecting small solar electricity generators to the distribution networks.
An article in Nacion.com reports that the pilot "plan ... allowed the upload of 10 megawatts of solar power to the electrical system, through energy provided by 366 subscribers. The option for installing new panels, however, was curtailed on February 6.
The formulas that determine the prices of products sold by the monopoly which is the state run oil company contain factors that create subsidies for gas and asphalt consumers at the expense of gasoline and diesel consumers.
An article published in Nacion.com reports on the results of an investigation into the calculation of consumer prices of automotive fuel, which states that since August 2008 changes have been put into effect to the formulas determined by the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (ARESEP), harming "... consumers of diesel and gasoline, who pay more per liter than the asphalt companies and gas users who save millions from the lower prices."
An announcement has been made that the legislation will be ready in October and will regulate, among other things, the method for deducting surplus energy contributed by each user from their bills.
The regulation on Planning, Operation and Access to National Electric System (Poasen) will also establish that applications for grants to install solar panels must be handled by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Minae).
Legal jargon on public corporations is preventing twelve companies from choosing the energy supplier that offers the best prices.
Bridgestone, Grupo Mit, Irex, Amanco and Cervecería Costa Rica and seven more companies saw their request to change electricity supplier hampered when the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (ARESEP) granted the municipality the authority to resolve the matter, which then rejected the request by the companies.
While state power company ICE produced energy in March with a maximum marginal cost of $468 MW / h, in the regional market it was on sale for $218.
In March Costa Rica increased its energyimports, since the price in the regional electricity market was almost half that of the cost incurred by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad to generate power using thermal power plants.
The tariffs for electricity generated with solar power or biomass will be determined using the same methodology used for setting prices for the sale of hydropower.
The measure approved by the Regulatory Authority of Public Services (ARESEP) and applied to production of less than 20 megawatts, aims to foster the participation of a greater number of companies dedicated to the production of energy from renewable sources such as water, solid waste and other things.
While the energy crisis is being dealt with using thermal generation and high prices, government officials have proposed buying from abroad electricity which is not allowed to be generated in the country by domestic private entrepreneurs.
An editorial in Nacion.com reviews the discussion taking place in Costa Rica regarding electricity generation, while companies the size of Intel are leaving the country having highlighted the high production costs, of which energy is the principal factor.
A new regulation on quality of electricity includes the interconnection and operation of micro and mini generators using renewable sources for their own consumption.
It will allow users to install on their properties, wind power, biomass and / or solar equipment, in order to meet their own electricity needs and they would be able to deliver surplus production to distribution companies, to be consumed at a later date (kWh Exchange).
An announcement has been made to implement an electronic payment system on buses circulating in the capital.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (ARESEP) and the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) signed an agreement for the implementation of an electronic payment system on buses circulating the capital. The project will be implemented in three phases and will start with the intersectoral routes.
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