WIND Power!

We just got back from a big field trip to Aero Energia (a wind-power company), and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. In Costa Rica, the vast majority (about 90%) of electricity consumed is renewable. Only about 30% of total energy is renewable, however, accounting for the use of fossil fuels in transportation and other non-electricity-related demand. The distinction is that Costa Rica does a pretty good job of powering the country (electrically) through renewable but is still almost entirely fossil fuel-dependent when it comes to transportation.

Of renewable energy in CR, 80% is hydroelectric, 15% is geothermal, 5% is wind, and less than 1% is solar. The topography and abundant water resources (of the Caribbean side) make CR ideal for hydroelectric but the technology isn’t without its problems. Disruption of ecosystems and displacement of people as massive lakes are created to power turbines are two of the many problems which hydro power presents to CR. On the first day of our trip, we visited Lake Arenal, the largest lake in CR and also the largest hydro project, providing 32% of total hydroelectricity production in the country. In order to build this massive reservoir, two towns were flooded and still sit at the bottom of the lake. Over the course of the year, with the fluctuation in water levels from wet to dry season, the depth of the reservoir changes drastically. Some people said that during the last droughts in CR, the top of the cross of the church in Arenal was visible just below the water.

We also visited Aero Energia, one of four subsidiaries of EcoEnergia. EcoEnergia is certified under ISO-14001 environmental management standards, which ensures that the company is employing best practices for low-impact management and continually improving upon its environmental standards. All around Aero Energia, the hills are covered with wind turbines. The wind here is intense and nearly constant, averaging around 10 m/s. Trees on top of the hill are bent over by the constant battering. The nine turbines at Aero Energia are

44 m. high but others in the area stand about half that height. A lot of the turbines in sight are operated by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the major government-run Costa Rican energy company. ICE has regulations which act as barriers to entry for private firms. Private companies like EcoEnergia produce 13.2% of Costa Rica’s energy but according to the Costa Rican energy law, no single company can produce more than 20 megawatts a year. All energy produced by private firms must be renewable and must be sold to ICE which then adds it to the grid.

As compared to the United States, CR is doing an excellent job making use of renewable resources to power its economy. However, it still has a long ways to go. After rolling black-outs affected much of CR a couple of years ago, the government approved an emergency plan to build a new thermal electricity plant (i.e. running on oil). Before a renewable project can begin, companies must go through up to ten years of environmental and social-impact assessments. Requiring minimal time to plan and build, the thermal plant was a quick fix. The government’s partial abandonment of renewable electricity is dangerous since it sets a bad precedent for future growth. It is projected that CR must double its electricity production by 2015 in order to meet demand. On the other hand, only 25% of potential renewable are currently in use in CR so electricity growth could be sustainable if the political will is present in the Costa Rican government.

In any case, it was great to be able to see the wind-power plant and to learn about a developing country which is so far ahead of the U.S. in terms of sustainably meeting its energy needs for the future. Enjoy the pictures, more soon to come!