Energy Strategy of Costa Rica: Towards a New Energy Model (Estrategia Energetica: Hacia un nuevo modelo energetico para nuestro pais)

Costa Rica faces two major challenges in its energy sector: 1) to move from fossil fuels based energy system (mainly imported oil) towards renewable energy sources harnessed locally, 2) to expand its power generating capacity replacing old power generating stations and adding new projects. The Strategy addresses these two challenges and indicates country’s way to achieve those two goals in a realistic and sustainable way in an upcoming decade. 

Among many, the Strategy enlists following goals:

• Substituting imported fossil fuels with renewables, especially through a consolidation of biofuels consumption, without competing with food production.
• Giving priority to the construction of large renewable energy power plants installed by the national utility (ICE), that add at least 1400 MW during 2010-2020.
• Increasing the participation of other actors, including from the private sector, in the development of new projects incorporating at least additional 600 MW of capacity during 2010-2020.

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