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Japanese JICA supports El Salvador’s geothermal development efforts

Japanese JICA supports El Salvador’s geothermal development efforts Ahuachapán Geothermal Power Plant by LaGeo in El Salvador (source: ThinkGeoEnergy, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 21 Aug 2019

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has donated equipment aimed at development of technology that will reduce investment costs of geothermal projects, helping El Salvador more than triple its current installed geothermal power generation capacity.

With the purpose of developing research on clean and renewable energy sources, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) donated equipment for the Geothermal Exploration Laboratory by Thermoluminescence Techniques and Integrated Systems to the University of El Salvador (UES) Reservoir Evaluation.

The laboratory will be administered by the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, who will develop the project for a period of five years with the technical support of experts from the Japanese University of Tohoku and Geo as an institution that is in charge of geothermal power generation in the country.

“The government of Japan since 2015 collaborates with El Salvador on the issue of geometric energy, we hope that all these supports contribute to strengthen the supply of renewable energy, mitigate the effects of climate change and contribute to the sustainable development of this country,” said Kasuyoshi Higuchi, Japan’s ambassador to El Salvador.

The Japanese diplomat highlighted the joint work that his government develops in El Salvador in other programs of technical support in health such as the Research and Integral Development Project for the Control of Chagas Disease, to which the announcement announced this week joins in matter of geothermal energy.

This research initiative seeks to optimize and take advantage of the geothermal resource in the country, through the implementation and evaluation of a new exploration technique developed in Japan to reduce the costs incurred when drilling in geothermal wells, which is the most expensive part in the generation of this type of energy.

The equipment donated by JICA for a value of more than $ 200 thousand will be used for the execution of the project called “Geothermal Exploration by Thermoluminescence Techniques and Integrated Reservoir Evaluation Systems, which will last five years.

Manuel Joya vice-rector of the UES thanked the representatives of the Japanese government, for the donation of the research teams that he considered will be of great benefit not only for the university but for the country.

“We are presented with the opportunity to obtain renewable energy at low cost, today we receive the donation of all the geothermal equipment that will be used in the project, I thank you for your unconditional help for the University of El Salvador and for the Salvadoran people,” he said. so the Vice Rector of UES.

As part of the project of technical cooperation teachers and students of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and Geo can travel to Japan to receive training and training given by experts in geothermal energy of that country.

With this initiative it is hoped it can help El Salvador increase its geothermal power generation capacity from currently 204 MW to 644. It will allow the development of technology that reduces the initial investment costs of geothermal projects and thus support El Salvador’s efforts in generating energy through sources renewables.

Source: Diario CoLatino, UltimaHora