Energetic options of the future, challenges and realities

In assessing the national and global energy panorama as well as energy efficiency programs in Latin America, alternative energy sources stand out as new sources of supply. The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is working on options using solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy. In the case of RECOPE the short-term task is to take on all the logistics for the distribution of Biofuels, a project that is part of the National Development Plan. In the long term the plan is to go even further, entering into research and development of Biofuels, through alliances.

Efforts undertaken by RECOPE for the introduction of these alternatives focus on the theme of consumption and the use of renewables like ethanol and biodiesel.

The National Development Plan emphasizes the need to direct the attention toward Biofuels given the high cost the barrel of oil and its derivatives (over 100 dollars per barrel has reached), mainly due to the decrease of world oil reserves.

Advantages and limitations of Biofuels

The goals of the program of Biofuels are: reducing the impact of environmental pollution by emissions, lower our dependence on oil and revive the agricultural sector in low areas of the national territory.

In the use of blends with bodies there are some conditions that must be considered, such as the stability of the product in case the national production comes from different sources such as oil palm, higuerilla, jatropha or other.

Also, in the theme of ethanol, studies conducted to RECOPE’s vehicles with blendings  with a maximum of 10% ethanol and 90% of regular gasoline, generated an increase in the efficiency of the carburetors. In the case of injected vehicles, although there were no decreases in performance, there was no improvement either. In the tests carried out by RECOPE, the emissions remained below the limits set by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT).

The introduction of gasoline with ethanol, through the pilot plan developed in the provinces of Puntarenas and Guanacaste, is shown in qualitatively that the vehicles in Costa Rica can use gasoline with anhydrous ethanol mixtures of up to 7%, without being problems of performance and emissions. Results showed that only confirms what at the global level.

The plan developed in the Pacific area has resulted evaluate logistics and management of petrol with ethanol from mixed in RECOPE to the point of sale at service stations. The draft maintains indefinitely, since the ultimate goal is to extend to the rest of the country from 2008, adding ethanol to both gasoline nationwide distribution.  It would begin with a mixture of up to 7% to achieve over the medium term and gradually the maximum 10%. At first you will need to resort to the importation of anhydrous alcohol, while across national policies promoting the incorporation of the agricultural sector to ensure that the production of ethanol.

RECOPE must invest to adequate the infrastructure, so it is possible to store the product mixed with ethanol to 7% on all campuses in the country, for it requires 60 million liters of ethanol annually. The initial investment is estimated at U.S. $ 600,000 (¢ 312 million) and also includes the draft of bodies blends with an initial maximum of up to 2%.