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A new solar park starts producing 40 MW in western Panama


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We cannot confirm, but it appears that this photovoltaic farm in Chiriqui may be the same facility that is discussed at http://www.chiriqui.life/topic/4941-panamas-solar-and-wind-turbine-green-electric-generating-projects-and-mega-projects/

If anyone can clarify, please either post here or email support@chiriqui.life.

 

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A new solar park starts producing 40 MW in western Panama

Fri, 02/01/2019 - 20:24

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Interenergy's Ikakos solar park opens Friday in the western Panamanian province of Chiriquí, on the border with Costa Rica, with an output of 40 megawatts (MW).

According to the Spanish company Gransolar, it once again joined with Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios to build together a photovoltaic project in Panama, "the first Central American country to form a national committee in the World Energy Council".

The Ikakos project was awarded to that consortium for the construction of 40MW divided into 4 solar plants of 10MW each (Ikakos, Ikakos I, Ikakos II and Ikakos III) for Interenergy Holding (IEH), "a pioneer in the generation of electricity through sources of renewable energy in the Caribbean".

The plants were built near the city of David, capital of Chiriquí, about 600 kilometers west of the Panamanian capital.

It had been projected that Ikakos would be connected and start supplying energy to the Panamanian national power grid in December 2017 and its complete build was scheduled for May 2018, according to Gransolar.

"Once completed, it will have the capacity to feed approximately 22,000 homes and save 56,836 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of 12,630 automobiles", specified the construction company, founded thirteen years ago in Madrid.

Interenergy is a conglomerate of private capital formed in 2011 and is dedicated to the business of power generation.

Today, it owns and operates energy distribution assets, as well as distribution and fuel logistics businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean; owns and operates businesses in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Jamaica and Chile, according to public information of the company.

In April 2014, this company acquired UEPII, a wind development project located in Penonome (Panama), and immediately began the construction of a 215 MW wind farm, the largest of its kind in Central America.

UEPII now eliminates more than 400,000 tons of CO2 emissions and saves 900,000 barrels of oil per year.

This investment was part of a commitment made by Interenergy at the meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, held in Rio de Janeiro in December 2013, to expand renewable energy efforts.

 

https://www.panamatoday.com/life-style/new-solar-park-starts-producing-40-mw-western-panama-9127

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So, simple questions.

1.  What is the cost, in both dollars and expendituress of CO2 that went into manufacturing the equipment, prepping the site (including compensation to landowners) and payments to builders?  If the money to build was borrowed , what is the interest rate per annum and how long is the loan for?

2)  what is the R.O.I?  

3)  what is the actual cost of each KW of power produced as a percentage of the input costs?

 4)  what is the budgeted annual maintenance cost?  If it is exceeded, who pays?

5)  what Is the projected life cycle of the installation?

6)  at the end of life stage, who is responsible for equipment removal and what are the projected disposal costs?

7)  Where will taxpayers be able to see the ACTUAL production figures versus the projected ones on an annual basis?

😎 what is the guarantee period, who is responsible for repairs on breakdown, how long will spares be available?

Folks always claim to know the "savings" but are always secretive about the actual costs.

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I located this site: GRS.   A consortium:   Gransolar and Cobra Instalaciones.   The article was titled " Panamanian Project IKAKOS.   The entire massive project was described.  What is curious was at the end of the article on the proposed timing, start and completion:

"The IKAKOS project is expected to be connected and to start supplying power to the Panamanian national grid in December 2017 and its complete completion is scheduled for May 2018. Once completed, it will have the capacity to feed approximately 22,000 homes and will save 56,836 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to 12,630 cars."

 

 

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Don't get me wrong, the idea behind such projects is admirable but, we are just not at a reasonable break even scenario yet.  Every wind and solar install is heavily subsidized by government in one way or another.  A personal example - around 2010 the government of Ontario, Canada wanted to "invest" in wind and solar.  They came up with a scheme to pay small producers (10 kw/hr or less) 80.2 cents per kwh.  This was when electricity was being sold to the consumer at around 11 cents/kw hr.  The difference was made up by applying a surcharge to everyone's electric bill.  The result, after a few years, was skyrocketing electric bills and inputs to the grid from wind and solar of about 1% of capacity.  Now, Ontario's electrical rates are double those of neighbouring Provinces, manufacturing is moving away due to high costs and surplus electricity is being sold to the New England States at a sometimes negative cost - Ontario is paying them to take excess power.  It is a perfect example of government intrusion into commercial enterprise with the expected results.

 

 

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Hawaii is majorly invested in both solar and wind power generation.  It also is a State that collects State income taxes in an amount that almost equals the Feds. When you receive your electric bill from Hawaiian Electric you see 8 individual charges that in the total amount,is your monthly bill.  Various fees for service and adjustment fees and others I'm not sure what they are...but the Electric Company states the fluctuation in your bill amount depends upon their cost of the electricity produced.   In other words the consumer is paying for their cost of production variations. That's how they explain it on their webpage FAQs .  Between taxes and an enormous  charge for electricity, the consumer ends up paying...big time.  Pretty much the same scenario that JohnF13 described...PLUS the visual changes we saw in Hawaii in what was once a pristine vista...now cluttered with Wind turbines on the tops of mountains.

When Bill and I lived right around the corner from Waimea Bay it didn't look like this.  The island hills are now cluttered with them.  

 

i.jpg

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On 2/3/2019 at 10:35 AM, JohnF13 said:

Don't get me wrong, the idea behind such projects is admirable but, we are just not at a reasonable break even scenario yet.  Every wind and solar install is heavily subsidized by government in one way or another.  A personal example - around 2010 the government of Ontario, Canada wanted to "invest" in wind and solar.  They came up with a scheme to pay small producers (10 kw/hr or less) 80.2 cents per kwh.  This was when electricity was being sold to the consumer at around 11 cents/kw hr.  The difference was made up by applying a surcharge to everyone's electric bill.  The result, after a few years, was skyrocketing electric bills and inputs to the grid from wind and solar of about 1% of capacity.  Now, Ontario's electrical rates are double those of neighbouring Provinces, manufacturing is moving away due to high costs and surplus electricity is being sold to the New England States at a sometimes negative cost - Ontario is paying them to take excess power.  It is a perfect example of government intrusion into commercial enterprise with the expected results.

 

 

 

John,

 

You wrote:

 

"Every wind and solar install is heavily subsidized by government in one way or another."

 

Eight years ago in the state of Florida the US federal government subsidized 100% a residential solar project to the tune of $55,000 per house hold that saved the home owner $100 per month.  That's 46 years to break even assuming nothing ever broke and no maintenance costs.

 

Let that sink in.

 

A friend of mine in Silicon Valley took advantage of US federal and California state subsidies to purchase a car.  He thought he'd never see the day that he would own an electric car but after the subsides he was driving a brand new $40,000 electric car for a lease of $150 per month for three years.  He and his wife found even a better deal for the same car for $100 per month so they purchased one for their nanny. 

 

But there's more!  There was a time when they provided an additional subsidy for the entire first year of payments for low income folks.  A free car for a year!

 

Yet there are politicians that exist that want to spend more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That's the kind of stuff no-one understands.  As I mentioned, the government of Ontario signed 20 year contracts with folks who would put in small solar arrays, up to 10kw.  I sat at home for 4 days doing the math, I was convinced I'd missed something, got my wife to go over it but no, it was "govt. legit".  I put one up on my farm, top of the line dual tracker with every panel (40 of them) having it's own inverter.  Cost me over $100,000 but the payback at 80.2 cents was around 8 years.  After that, money in the bank.  I felt bad about it for a while then realized to government were going to get money out of me anyway with the surcharge on electricity, so I started feeling good....

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Solar Energy: New Park in Panama

On a 98-hectare site in the province of Chiriquí, InterEnergy launched a solar park with a generating capacity of 40 MW, which required a $48 million investment.

Thursday, February 7, 2019

The new power generation park, called Ikakos, will transport the electricity produced to the Mata de Nance substation through a 13.7-kilometre-long transmission line.

According to company representatives, the new power plant located in David has 138,960 solar panels and will contribute 84.58 GW per hour to Panama's energy matrix.

You may be interested in "$225 Million Investment in Energy Projects"

Mónica Lupiáñez, executive of the Renewable Energy Supply initiative explained to Eldinero.com.do that "... the construction of Ikakos involved more than US$48 million in investment, generating jobs for more than 450 people and representing a big step in the diversification of Panama's energy matrix by contributing 1%. All of the park's energy is supplied to large customers."

Rolando Gonzalez Bunster, president of InterEnergy said that "... We bet on the potential that this country has, we select this area to take maximum advantage of the climatic characteristics in favor of development and opening a window for those companies that are committed to the care and protection of the planet have an alternative to operate in an environmentally friendly manner and at competitive prices."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Solar_Energy_New_Park_in_Panama

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