Download Sustainable - Trinity University

Sustainable Energy Development
in Costa Rica
Fred Loxsom
Eastern Connecticut State University, February 20, 2004
Trinity University
is in San Antonio!
Like Eastern, Trinity University is a
primarily undergraduate liberal arts
institution, but it’s private.
ACS Sustainable Development
Course: Summers 2002 & 2003
Costa Rica
Sustainable Development
Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development
Principle 3
The right to development must be fulfilled so as
to equitably meet developmental and
environmental needs of present and future
generations.
The Economic Base
Economic Sector
% GDP
Agriculture
13
Industry
22
Commerce and Tourism
40
National Parks
Protected Beaches
Biodiversity
Deforestation
Forest Restoration
Volcanic Mountains
Geothermal Activity
Geothermal Energy
Wind Energy
Hydroelectric Power
Sustainable Development
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
Principle 9
States should cooperate to strengthen
endogenous capacity-building for sustainable
development by improving scientific
understanding through exchanges of scientific
and technological knowledge, and by
enhancing the development, adaptation,
diffusion and transfer of technologies,
including new and innovative technologies.
Economic Indicators
Population
Growth Rate
GDP (per capita)
Gini Index
Oil (per capita)
Auto (per capita)
Imported Oil
Electricty (per capita)
United States
280 million
0.80%
$36,300
0.41
26 bbl/year
44%
55%
13,000 kWh
Costa Rica
3.8 million
1.60%
$3,850
0.46
3.7 bbl/year
34%
100%
1,500 kWh
Electricity Generation
Electricty (per capita)
Demand Growth
Fossil Fuel
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Geothermal
Wind
United States
13,000 kWh
2%
Costa Rica
1,500 kWh
5%
71%
20%
7%
1%
1%
1%
0%
83%
14%
2%
Electricity Generation Costs
Oil
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Wind
Electricity
Generation Cost (¢/kWh)
1%
26
14%
3.5
82%
2.2
3%
?
Potential Generation Capacity
Oil
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Wind
Installed
Capacity
(MW)
240
140
1200
46
Potential
Capacity
(MW)
0?
900
10,000
>600
Hydrocarbons
Geothermal
Hydroelectric Power
Wind
Quick Aside – Wind Power in
Texas
Desert Sky – West Texas
 Wind project
 Iraan, Texas
 Owner: American
Electric Power
 Customer: CPS
 Manufacturer: GE
Wind Energy
(formerly Enron)
Desert Sky - Turbines




1.5 MW / Turbine
107 Turbines
Min. Wind: 8 mph
Max. Wind: 56 mph
Desert Sky - Financing
 Financing Depends
on State Renewable
Tax Incentive
Program.
 AEI must guarantee
to operate the system
for 30 years
Desert Sky – Grid
Issues
 ERCOT (Energy
Reliability Council of
Texas) maintains the
electric grid for most
of the state.
 AEI is not allowed to
generate more than
100 MW
Desert Sky Impacts
Back in Costa Rica:
Is Solar Energy An Option?
Insolation Map
Insolation Map
Insolation

Average insolation
ranges from
4.0 kWh/m2/day
to
5.4 kWh/m2/day

Assume 5.0 kWh/m2/day or
1,800 kWh/ m2/year
Which Solar Option?



Hot Water Systems?
Process heat?
We will only consider Photovoltaic
Why Photovoltaic?
Aside – Photovoltaic Power
Widely Used
Array
A PV array is made
up of several
panels and a
panel is made up
of many cells.
System
A complete system has
an array, a battery, an
inverter and a load.
The system can supply
either DC or AC
loads.
Trinity University Science Building




Array
Controller
Battery
Load
 Undergraduate
students who did all
the work.
San Antonio Public Utility
Headquarters
Space Version
Richard Smalley
(Nobel Prize Winner
and a recent visitor to
Trinity University)
advocates this
approach.
Back in Costa Rica
Solar Array Output
Assume efficiency = 14%
Output = 0.14 x 5.0 kWh/m2/day = 0.70 kWh/m2/day
= 365 day/year x 0.70 kWh/m2/day
= 250 kWh / m2 / year
PV Economics
Array cost = $5 / Watt
System cost = $10 / Watt
For 14% efficiency the cost per unit area =
$10 / Watt * (0.14 * 1000 W/ m2 ) = $1,400 / m2
Cost of Solar
Electricity
Assume very simple economics – System lasts 25
years. Neglect inflation and interest.
Output = 250 kWh / m2 / year
System Cost = $1400 / m2 / 25 year = $56 / m2 /year
Electricity cost = $56 / 250 kWh = 23 cents/kWh
What do you think?
Would
photovoltaic
power be practical
in Costa Rica?
Suppose we go off grid?




Lower power
needs
Provide storage
Save expense of
power lines
Aesthetic value
Water Pumping System




Inexpensive for
modest needs
Reliable
Use water tank as
energy storage
ICE (Costa Rican
electric utility)
sponsors network of
projects
Colder Climate Option


Combine with
other systems –
wind, biomass
Back-up
generator
Photovoltaics are part of the mix of
energy options for sustainable societies

Other renewable
options include








Conservation
Passive solar
Active solar
Wind
Hydroelectric
Geothermal
Fuel cell technologies
Hybrid electric vehicles
Knowledge Transfer
We can learn from
Costa Rica and other
Less Developed
Countries as we shift
away from our
dependence on fossil
fuels.
Questions?