In the six main Central American countries – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama – renewable sources accounted for 61% of power injected into the grid, reports the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL).
Hydropower accounts for 47.5% of this figure, geothermal for 7.9%, biomass for 4.4% and wind power for 1.1%.
Costa Rica leads the pack with over 95% of its electricity supply derived from renewable sources. Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala also have considerable shares, ranging between 53% and 57%, while Honduras and Nicaragua generate 45.7% and 26.5%, respectively from renewables.
While still a modest part of renewables-sourced electricity in the region, the rapidly increasing role of wind cannot be ignored. In 2009, its production fell just short of 238GWh, a 120% YoY increase as major projects in Nicaragua and Costa Rica came online.
