Costa Rica News – In late 2012 Costa Rica opened the first large scale solar power plant in Bagaces, Guanacaste.
The solar project is comprised of 4,300 solar panels each producing 235 watts. The project spans an impressive 2.7 hectares and will generate 1.2 GW of electricity per year, which can power approximately 600 homes.
Costa Rica is known for its focus on environmental protection, conservation and green energy development. Costa Rica 25 percent of its land area protected as national parks and a mandate to increase that percentage yearly.
The solar power project was a joint venture with the Japanese Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET), the Instituto Costarricense Electricidad (ICE), and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica.
The project was financed with a grant of 10 million yen ($133,840 USD approx.) as part of the Japanese government’s Project for Introduction of Clean Energy by System Solar Electricity Generation for Costa Rica, and an additional $1.5 million in funding from ICE.
President Laura Chinchilla said the project is “increasing installed capacity to continue generating more electricity and meet our economy’s demands, but we also confirmed that our growth will continue to rely on renewable energy generation”.
She added that these efforts will continue under her administration.
ICE initially proposed the project with partnership with GeSolar, a Chinese PV manufacturer, and Greenersys, a Costa Rican supplier of renewable energy services and products.
ICE also has plans of building another in La Sabana, in San Jose, which will run on 130 PV modules and have a capacity of 3 KW to power.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
