Albanisa dispondrá de un período de 12 meses para determinar la viabilidad del potencial eólico energético y poder instalar un parque eólico con una capacidad de 80 megavatios, según el acuerdo ministerial. El proyecto de Albanisa contempla la instalación de 40 aerogeneradores de 2 megavatios cada uno en el municipio de Rivas, 111 km al suroeste de Managua.
Albanisa es una empresa creada en el marco del convenio petrolero entre los gobiernos de Nicaragua y Venezuela en 2007, que prevé el suministro de unos 10 millones de barriles de crudo y derivados al país centroamericano a precios preferenciales. La compañía, que administra parte de los fondos generados por el acuerdo petrolero, también tiene inversiones en el área de turismo, mejoramiento genético, construcción de viviendas y exportaciones, entre otras.
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Nicaraguan wind-farm project changes course to blow in favor of Chávez
A wind-power project in Nicaragua for which authorization was granted to a company called Blue Power & Energía took a complete about turn in mid-April.
Blue Power & Energía mysteriously pulled out of the project, which was then assigned to the Venezuelan-Nicaraguan joint venture Albanisa, an offshoot of the Alba alternative for the Americas promoted by the Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chávez.
Now Albanisa has the necessary environmental project to go ahead with the project, which is to generate 80 megawatts from 40 windmills.
The wind project that will develop Albanisa includes the installation of 40 wind turbines of 2 MW each, reaching a total output of 80MW. It will be located on the farm “La Fe”, department of Rivas. The production of this project will be the double of the energy generated by the Amayo wind farm (with a total production at its first stage of 40 MW).
The contract document stipulates that the joint stock company will be responsible for building the power transmission line connecting the Amayo substation, in turn, has a term of 18 months for all actions relating to implementation of the project, otherwise the “environmental impact license” must be renewed.
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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.
www.nrel.gov/wind/pdfs/nicaragua.pdf
