Welcome to our page with data for Costa Rica

ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Installed geothermal generating capacity (December 2009) in MW

Miravalles 165

No new power plant has been added to the country geothermal capacity, which is 165 MW at Miravalles (figure 12), producing 13% of the country electricity. Costa Rica has a very important mix of renewable energy generation, with hydro accounted for 80% of the total electricity, and wind for additional 2%.

The exploitation of Miravalles, from Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), with temperature of about 240°C, started in 1994, and it has reached its steady state in 2003. Two new projects are at different stage of planning: 41 MW at Las Pailas (a binary plant from reservoir fluid at 260°C is under advanced construction) and a feasibility plan has been completed and finalized at Borinquen, on the same volcanic system of Rincón de la Vieja. The expected installed capacity of the country will overcome 200 MW in few years.

Taken from Ruggero Bertani’s paper, " Geothermal Power Generation in the World 2005–2010 Update Report ", published in
Proceedings of the World Geothermal Congress 2010, Bali, Indonesia, 25-29 April 2010.

DIRECT USES

Total thermal installed capacity in MWt:	1.0
Direct use in TJ/year	21.0
Direct use in GWh/year	5.8
Capacity factor	0.67

Various studies have been completed in the country to look at moderate- and low-temperature geothermal resources and their potential use. Even though the study produced some favorable results, there has been no development of these resources. The main reason is the mild climate region which does not require the artificial heating of greenhouses and buildings. Currently, the use of these resources is limited to mountain hotel pools dedicated to ecological tourism. The Ministry of Agriculture has completed a technical study for the installation of a pilot plant for the drying of vegetables (onions) and grains (rice, beans, etc.) that will operate in the southern sector of the present power plant site at Miravalles. It will use some of the discharge water from the power plants (Mainieri Protti, 2010). . The estimated installed capacity is 1.0 MWt and the annual energy use is 21.0 TJ/yr based on Lund et al. (2005).

Taken from the paper by John W. Lund, Derek H. Freeston, and Tonya L. Boyd: " Direct Utilization of Geothermal Energy 2010 Worldwide Review"; published in Proceedings of the World Geothermal Congress 2010, Bali, Indonesia, 25-29 April 2010

LOG IN
user:		password:

Not an IGA Member? Register here » Hide