The Board of Directors of the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) resolved the Procedure for the penetration capacity of distributed energy resources (DER) by distribution circuit that are integrated with the distribution networks of the National Electric System (SEN).
It establishes in detail the technical requirements, information and criteria to be considered by the distribution companies and the System Operator (OS) to determine the penetration (or accommodation) capacity per DER distribution circuit that is integrated with the distribution networks, SEN distribution.The measure communicated through Resolution RE-0095-JD-2023 was well received by the industry.
Extremely positive
“From the Chamber of Distributed Generation we see it as extremely positive that ARESEP has completed a process of formalizing regulatory instruments derived from Law 10,086 on distributed energy resources; it has been almost 2 years of waiting for the implementation of the Law,” indicated William Villalobos, executive director of the Distributed Generation Chamber.
One of the most relevant elements of this procedure, characterized as transparent, open, scalable and efficient that considers all the locations of the DERs in the circuits, is the methodology for studies of the safe penetration capacity of the circuits (hosting capacity).
Because?
William Villalobos indicated that it is because precisely since the entry into force of Law 10086, the competence and responsibility was granted to Aresep to issue the regulatory instruments that allow the law to be operationalized.
And, a no minor detail is that when defining the field of application of this new procedure, an exception was made to the operating mode for distributed generation without delivery of surpluses to the network.
In this regard, Villalobos observed: “This differentiation that Aresep has made that systems that do not deliver surpluses will not be subject to the capacity availability of the circuits is not only relevant; but also, it is a signal that gives the necessary legal security for the deployment of projects in this modality in the country, especially at times where renewable energies are essential to face the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.”
Significant delay in the strengthening of various circuits
And he added: “It is important to note that, in the country there is a significant delay in the strengthening of various circuits in the country, the rates that were also approved by Aresep and published today, are a signal so that through this income achieve significant improvements for greater use of technologies in the field of DERs, and even the distribution companies themselves have recognized some limitations to advance in this, either due to lack of personnel or economic resources for said investments, hence, not having made this differentiation “It would have meant condemning the national photovoltaic industry to a process of serious slowdown of new projects.”
Solar generation
Costa Rica today has 250 MW of installed capacity in solar generation distributed on more than 7,000 roofs in the country, and like in many countries, this is a reality that is here to stay. According to the representative of the Distributed Generation Chamber, the activity will continue to grow and be strengthened with new business models such as the deployment of smart networks, virtual plants, energy communities, demand aggregators, among others.
“Technology does not wait for regulation; And faced with this reality, what the market expects is that the regulation is flexible, adaptable and clear,” he concluded.
The resolution by the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) regarding the penetration capacity of distributed energy resources (DER) in Costa Rica is viewed as highly positive by industry experts. The formalization of regulatory instruments based on Law 10,086 on distributed energy resources is seen as a significant step forward. Hope it will truly turn out to be game changer.