Geothermal El Salvador

摘要

E1 Salvador is located in the heart of Central America, bordered by Guatemala and Honduras. The climate is tropical, with a rainy season (May to October) and a dry season (November to April). The terrain consists mostly of mountains, with a central plateau and narrow coastal belt. The country extends over an area of 21,040 km~2 (Fig. 1), with a population of about 6.3 million. Geothermal energy is a plentiful resource in El Salvador, accounting for over 24 percent of the country's electricity output. In 2002, power generation from the Ahuachapan and Berlin geothermal facilities was 940 gigawatt-hours (GWh). This power was delivered to a newly deregulated, competitive market, mixed with 1,140 GWh of electricity from hydro projects, 1,805 GWh of electricity from thermoelectric operations, and 430 GWh of power imports from Guatemala (3,175 GWh total). Geothermal energy already claims a very high market share, which is projected to increase in the next few years as new projects come online (Fig. 2). Of the 161 MW of geothermal capacity currently installed in El Salvador (95 MW at Ahuachapan, and 66 MW at Berlin), only about 119 MW are available (63 MW at Ahuachapan, and 56 MW at Berlin). Geotermica Salvadorena (GESAL) estimates that it can increase effective capacity in the next three years by about 50 MW with the addition of one new 28-MW condensing unit at Berlin; reinstallation of the 10-MW wellhead power plant from Berlin to the Cuyanausul Geothermal Field; and a 12-MW upgrade of Ahuachapan installations. GESAL is also exploring possibilities to expand operations at other Central American geothermal fields.