Enatrel señaló en un comunicado que esos 39 megavatios de energía que se produce a base del viento son parte de los 40 que generará, en su primera etapa, el parque eólico Amayo, ubicado en el municipio de Rivas (sur).
La compañía indicó que una vez que entregue los 40 megavatios de energía se cubrirá la demanda de 320.000 hogares que consuman un promedio de 150 kilovatios por mes.
Enatrel destacó que es la primera vez en la historia de Nicaragua que se produce energía a través del viento.
La planta de energía eólica de 40 megavatios, construida a un costo de 95 millones de dólares en el departamento de Rivas, está compuesta por 19 aerogeneradores de 126 metros de altura y 400 toneladas de peso que transforman el viento en energía.
La inversión inicial de 95 millones de dólares procede del Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE), con fondos estadounidenses, guatemaltecos y nicaragüenses.
La empresa estatal apuntó que con la realización de este proyecto se están dando los primeros pasos para cambiar la matriz energética del país, que depende en un 80 por ciento de la energía que se genera de derivados del petróleo, principalmente búnker y diesel.
La fuente destacó que el Gobierno de Daniel Ortega impulsa obras de generación renovable como las hidroeléctricas Tumarín y Boboké, norte de Nicaragua, que generarían 230 megavatios de energía y se espera inicien operaciones en 2012.
egún datos del Centro Nacional de Despacho de Carga (CNDC), el parque eólico AMAYO ha logrado incorporar 39 MW (Megavatios) al Sistema Interconectado Nacional (SIN), casi un 100 % de su capacidad instalada en 19 aerogeneradores de 125 metros de altura y 400 toneladas de peso cada uno, existentes en el kilómetro 126 de la carretera Panamericana entre la ciudad de Rivas y la frontera sur de PeñasBlancas.
En Nicaragua este es el primer proyecto de generación a base del viento. En febrero de este año suministró los primeros 4 MW, en marzo 29 MW y en este mes de mayo 39 MW. La inversión ascendió a US$ 95 millones, procedentes del Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE), con fondos estadounidenses, guatemaltecos y nicaragüenses.
El parque eólico AMAYO es el primer paso que se da para el cambio en la matriz energética del país, dependiente en un 80 % de los derivados del petróleo. Actualmente el Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional impulsa obras de generación renovable como las Hidroeléctricas Tumarín y Boboké con 230 MW, se espera inicien operaciones en el 2012.
Otro proyecto en marcha es el de la empresa venezolana-nicaraguense Albanisa, que ha adquirido los permisos de un proyecto adjudicado en principio a una firma extranjera, para producir 80 megavatios de energía eólica en la sureña zona de Rivas.
El representante de Albanisa, Francisco López, habría logrado la cesión de la autorización que pertenecía a Blue Power & Energía S.A, según los permisos otorgados.
El proyecto de generación de energía renovable contempla instalar 40 aerogeneradores de dos megavatios cada uno, que serían ubicados en la finca La Fe, en el departamento de Rivas, fronterizo con Costa Rica, a 115 kilómetros al sur de Managua.
Sin embargo, el representante de Albanisa solicitó que transfieran la resolución administrativa a la hacienda San Martín, asentada en la misma zona.
La generación duplicaría al proyecto privado Amayo en el kilómetro 128 de la Carretera Panamericana Sur que tiene previsto ingresar al sistema nacional de electricidad 40 megavatios.
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Nicaragua adds wind power to energy mix
Third of country’s energy already comes from geothermal, dams, ethanol
Energy-starved Nicaragua is turning to wind as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil-based power.
In January, the country will begin operating 19 windmills that have the potential to generate 40 megawatts of energy.
Energy Minister Emilio Rappaccioli said the $90 million project will be operating at full capacity by the end of January and contribute 6 percent of the country’s total energy needs.
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Nicaragua successfully ended rolling blackouts that left the country without power for hours on many days, but the government struggled to pay higher energy costs as oil prices peaked at more than $147 a barrel earlier this year.
Rappaccioli said the new project will save about $9 million a year in fuel costs, at current prices. The lead developer on the operation is Arctas Capital Group LP of Houston, Texas, which says it is in advanced stages of development for another 40-megawatt installation.
Wind is part of Nicaragua’s efforts to reduce its dependence on oil-based energy to just 3 percent by 2013. The country has also turned to geothermal power from volcanoes, hydroelectric power generated by rivers and sugarcane based ethanol. Those sources provide 34 percent of Nicaragua’s energy.
Ernesto Martinez, executive president of the Nicaraguan Energy Company, said recently that Russia will finance and build two geothermal plants in Nicaragua with the capacity to produce 250 megawatts. Rappaccioli also said Iran, Brazil and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim have also expressed interest in investing in the country’s renewable energy efforts.
Nearly 80 percent of the oil Nicaragua consumes is provided at a discount by Venezuela, whose president, Hugo Chavez, is a close ally of Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega.
The 400-foot-tall windmills, installed by Suzlon Energy Ltd. of Pune, India, were set up on the edge of Lake Nicaragua. They sit in the shadow of the twin volcanoes Concepcion and Maderas on the lake’s Ometepe Island, and have become a tourist attraction of sorts.
"They remind me of Don Quijote," said Danilo Gutierrez, a professor who drove from the capital of Managua with his family to see them.
The project’s Canadian manager, Sean Porter, says officials are considering adding 19 more windmills.
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Nicaraguan Wind Farm To Provide Country With Six Percent Of Energy Needs
Rolling black-outs used to leave Nicaragua without power on many occasions. The government managed to control those but was left with a staggering burden of energy debt as the cost of crude oil rose in 2008 to the highest prices on record. To reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and to reduce energy costs, Nicaragua has built a wind farm along the border of Lake Nicaragua.
The wind farm provides 19 windmills with an expected generation of 40 MW of energy. The wind farm is anticipated to be fully operational by the end of January 2009. Six percent of Nicaragua’s energy demand is projected to be met through this $90 million project. The windmills are 126 meters tall and were installed by the Indian company, Suzlon Energy Ltd. of Pune, India. They sit between two volcanoes and have become a tourist attraction in the country.
The Government of Nicaragua hopes to reduce its dependence on oil for energy needs to just three percent by the year 2013. Nicaragua is already using geothermal energy provided from its volcano resources, ethanol from sugar cane fields, and has tapped the rivers to utilize hydroelectric power. This combination of renewable energy alternatives provides Nicaragua with 34 percent of its energy at the current time.
The chief developer for the wind farm is Arctas Capital Group LP from Houston, Texas. Arctas indicates another 40 MW wind farm is in the advanced stages of planning. Many other projects are in the works for the country, including two new geothermal plants in Nicaragua to be financed by Russia. The output of these plants is expected to be 250 MW. As well, Brazil, Iran, and Carlos Slim, a billionaire from Mexico, are in negotiations to invest in the country’s renewable energy projects.
Nicaragua’s Energy Minister, Emilio Rappaccioli, stated that the Government expects to save approximately $9 million annually in fuel costs, thanks to the new Lake Nicaragua wind farm. Approximately 80 percent of the oil Nicaragua uses is provided by Venezuela at a discount. Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega, the leader of Nicaragua, have a good working relationship.
The wind farm includes nineteen 125-meter wind turbines in a 400 acre area between the southern city of Rivas and Peñas Blancas, on the border with Costa Rica. The US$95 million project was financed with funds from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE).
Wind energy generation is part of an overall strategy implemented by the local government to promote renewable energy. Today, the country depends 80% on fossil fuels for electricity production.
www.nrel.gov/wind/pdfs/nicaragua.pdf
