Ingenio El Ángel has announced a $10.3 million investment to strengthen its renewable energy generation during El Salvador’s 2025–2026 sugarcane harvest. The project includes the installation of a new 15-megawatt turbogenerator and upgrades to a high-pressure boiler, allowing the company to produce up to 183,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity during the current harvest season.

This investment coincides with the start of one of the most critical periods for El Salvador’s energy system. From November to April, when sugar mills operate at full capacity, bagasse — the residue from sugarcane processing — is used as fuel to generate electricity. This contribution becomes especially important during the dry season, when hydroelectric production declines due to lower river and reservoir levels.

Biomass plays a strategic role in the national energy mix by providing firm, continuous generation at a time when other renewable sources face limitations. According to the General Directorate of Energy, Hydrocarbons and Mines, biomass represents 7.22 percent of El Salvador’s energy matrix, delivering stable power 24 hours a day throughout the harvest and helping reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

In the case of Ingenio El Ángel, electricity is produced by burning bagasse in high-pressure boilers to generate steam that drives turbines. Part of the energy is used in the industrial process, while the surplus is injected into the national grid. Because bagasse is an agricultural byproduct, it does not compete with food production or require expanding farmland.

Beyond energy security, the project also brings environmental benefits. The 183,000 megawatt-hours expected to be generated during the 2025–2026 harvest will prevent more than 43,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Since launching its renewable energy strategy in 2011, Ingenio El Ángel has invested $127.4 million in clean energy projects, reinforcing biomass as a key pillar of El Salvador’s energy resilience.