Solar thermal energy in South America

2015-09-13 05:07:47

Northern Chile, which houses 90% of mining industry in the country, has a unique solar resource, possibly the best in the world from a CSP point of view.

 

The Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) in large areas of northern Chile exceeds 3,000 (kWh / m2 year). As a comparison, in Sevilla (Spain) the DNI is around 2,100 (kWh / m2 year).

 

Northern Chile is also rich in nitrate salts, which constitute the fundamental material used for thermal energy storage systems.

 

At the same time most of the mining industry, and therefore the consupmtion of electricity, is located close to areas with the best DNI. This makes interconnection easier and transportation losses lower. The proximity of mining operations to a solar thermal plant would also allow cogeneration, with direct transmission of heat, which means lower power consumption for mining operations and reduced cooling costs for the power plant.

 

Another factor working in favor of Renewable Energy, is that the Chilean population has a high awareness for environmental protection as a majority of Chileans believe that the environment is an essential resource for the country. In recent years, several projects of conventional energy have been stalled or canceled for this reason.

 

The Renewable Energy market in Chile

 

 

In 2008 Law 20.257 was introduced to foster RE in the country. The Law required large generators (over 200 MW of installed capacity) and utilities to have a minimum percentage of RE within their generation mix (starting at 5% and growing up to 15%).

 

In 2013, an amendment to that law, known as the Law 20/25, was introduced with the objective of reaching gradually the level of 20% ​​by 2025. 

 

In late 2014, the installed capacity of RE in Chile amounted to 2,097 MW, distributed in the following technologies:

 

836 MW Wind farms

466 MW Biomass plants

402 MW Solar palnts

350 MW Mini hydro

42 MW Biogas plants.

 

The estimates are that over the next 10 years a total of 8,000 to 10,000 MW from RE can be installed in Chile.

 

Peru: optimal conditions for CSP plants hybridized with natural gas or biogas.

 

During 2014 most of the energy produced in Peru came from hydroelectric plants (53%)  and from natural gas power plants (43%). Renewable energies different than hydro still have a limited presence in the generation mix but its growth potential is important in order for the country to achieve greater diversification and replace, int the medium and long term, the use of fossil fuels.

 

Solar energy is the renewable energy resource most available throughout Peru. In most localities the availability of solar energy is high and fairly uniform throughout the year, being almost always within a range of + / - 20% of the annual average; making it more attractive to use compared to other countries. Overall, the annual average is 4-5 kWh / m2 day at the coast and jungle and 5 to 6 kWh / m2 day in inland areas, increasing from north to south.

 

Looking at biomass, we see that its potential in Peru has not been fully studied. Basically current projects have emerged mainly from the industry, studying the potential of biomass from production processes, especially for the production of heat and / or electricity.

 

And regarding Natural Gas Peru also has important reservoirs of this fuel in two different geographical areas: Aguaytía in the central jungle, and a number of deposits located on the north coast.

 

For all this reasons we believe the country presents an important opportunity for the development of solar thermal plants hybridized with biogas (CSP+) and/or natural gas (CSP+CC, ISCC).

 

 

Mexico meets today excellent conditions for Renewable Energy projects to takeoff, especially those based in solar thermal energy.

 

From a physical point of view, in the field of solar energy, the country's northwest has some areas with a level of irradiation highest in the world. In the Sonora Desert and in large areas of Baja California and the Chihuahua Desert, DNI in the levels of 7 kWh / m2 are achieved with ease daily.

 

From a political and legal point of view the Energy Reform being undertaken by Mexico's Administration has generated favorable conditions for international investment.

 

The new energy regulation has placed Mexico worldwide as one of the countries with the most ambitious targets for generation by non-fossil sources. Thus the Law on the Use of Renewable Energies and Financing of Energy Transition, states that by 2024 the share of renewables in electricity generation has to be in the level of 35%. During year 2014 this percentage amounted only to 15%.

 

The new regulatory framework aims to create a market in which electricity producers can sell electricity directly to other users, recover their investment and make a profit. The objective is that all independent producers will be able to access the National Network of Transmission and Distribution based on a merit dispatch system in which lower-cost generators are dispatched first.

 

Additionally, the law provides for a system of certificates of clean energy, thanks to which these generation projects will have a secure demand to sell their production.

 

Mexico, a country with approximately 120 million inhabitants, constitutes an important opportunity for the development of power generation projects from renewable sources capable of providing electricity to the system in a safe, sustainable and cost competitive manner.