CEL seeks investments to expand the country’s geothermal fields

Daniel lvarez, president of the Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive Commission (CEL), toured the LAGEO plant in Berlin, in the department of Usulutan, as part of the High Level Meeting of the Global Geothermal Alliance of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), which is taking place in the country.

The delegations learned in detail the processes used to generate clean energy. This plant generates 13% of the energy consumed by Salvadorans.

“Today we end up showing you what we do in a geothermal plant, how we maintain it and how we use the resources. We are looking at what we can collaborate with other countries on and how they can collaborate with us,” Álvarez said.

The visit concluded the High Level Meeting of the Global Geothermal Alliance, which for the first time in history was held in El Salvador.

The general director of Irena, Francesco La Camera, recognized the geothermal leadership that El Salvador has in the region: “El Salvador must continue betting on the generation of geothermal energy and its leadership is evident, since I must say that the conference and its logistics were excellent”.

During the summit, CEL authorities exchanged experience and knowledge; In addition, they signed important cooperation agreements. “There are funds that will serve as financing to continue expanding the geothermal field, taking advantage of our resources,” Álvarez added.

He added that these activities attract investors and financial resources to establish more production plants and stabilize the price of tariffs.

CEL intends to invest nearly $620 million in clean energy production, including two expansion projects: one in the Chinameca volcano in San Miguel and the other in San Vicente, according to lvarez. With both, 60% of this type of energy would be injected into the national market; in addition to hydroelectric power and natural gas sources, it would stop depending on fossil fuels and cover almost 100% of the demand with renewable and inexhaustible green energy.