| Ahuachapan | 95.0 |
| Berlin | 109.4 |
| Total |
204.4
|
There are two major geothermal fields in this country: Ahuachapán and Berlín, for a total capacity of about 200 MW, producing 25% of the electricity needs of the country. Both the fields are operated by LaGeo, in partnership with Enel Green Power. The increase from 2005 was of 53 MW (35% in capacity, 47% in energy), for the two new units at Berlin of 44 MW flash and 9 MW binary.
In the Ahuachapán area (temperature of 250°C) two 30 MW single flash and one 35 MW double flash are currently online (1975-1981); due to the reservoir decline, only 84 MW net units are currently in operation. A project for reaching the full capacity loading of the units (Ahuachapán optimization) is under study. In 2006 the reinjection reached the target of 100% of the exploited fluid. It is under consideration also the possibility of repowering unit 2, adding 5 MW to the total capacity of the field.
In Berlín (where 300°C have been recorded) two 28 MW single flash units have been installed before 2005 (1992- 1999); two major additions have been placed online up to today: a bottoming cycle binary unit for 9.4 MW (on line in 2008) and a single flash 44 MW units (commissioned in 2006), built by Enel Green Power under a shareholder agreement with LaGeo. In 2003 it has been drilled the most productive well of the Latin America, with a production of 20-30 MW from the steam cap at about 1,000 m depth. A new unit for additional 28 MW is planned. In the Chinameca area feasibility studies for a 50 MW units are on going (a single well at 1,900 m reached temperature around 240°C).
The total installed capacity of the country is foreseen about 290 MW.
The country update report (Herrera et al., 2010), the authors make no mention of geothermal direct-use. However, a recent visit to the country by one of the authors (Lund) revealed that there were some limited development of greenhouse heating, fish farms and fruit drying. During a tour of the Berlin geothermal field, samples of dried pineapples, apples, bananas, coconuts, etc. were made available as " Procesco de deshidratado Natural Geotermico" and called "Geo Fruit or Funda-Geo" which are processed in Berlin for local consumption.
A minimum value of 0.5 MWt and 10 TJ/yr is assumed for each of greenhouse heating and fish farming, and 1.0 MWt and 20 TJ/yr for agricultural drying, for a total of 2.0 MWt and 40 TJ/y.
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