Costa Rica utility awarded on emission savings through geothermal plants
Costa Rican utility ICE has received an award on its or the development of the inventory of greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions in power generation plants, among them the Las Pailas geothermal power plants , Miravalles Complex I , II, III, V, as well as a solar, wind farm plants and hydroelectric plants.
This week, the Chorotega Region of the Generation Business of the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) received an acknowledgment from the Directorate of Climate Change of MINAE for the development of the inventory of greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions in power generation plants.
The report corresponds to the Las Pailas geothermal power plants , Miravalles Complex I , II, III, V and Boca de Pozo; SolarMiravalles ; Tejona wind farm and the Arenal, Sandillal and Miguel Dengo hydroelectric plants .
These awards are given to organizations that participate with the public-private initiative called Carbon Neutrality Country Program, for the fulfillment of the national goals established in this matter for 2021.
The Chorotega Region of Generation of the ICE recorded in its inventory 250 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in direct emissions, 36 tons of indirect emissions and 462 tons of emissions generated from biomass , in 2015.
From the total, between 2016 and 2017 it was possible to reduce 230 tons of CO2e, in operation and maintenance activities of power plants, which meant a cost reduction of approximately ? 60 million.
The inventory includes emissions generated by the consumption of hydrocarbons, chemical products, gases, ordinary wastewater, waste management by grid cleaning, emissions of generation inputs (such as non-condensable gases from geothermal energy and reservoirs) and electricity.
“ICE is undoubtedly a fundamental strategic partner in advancing the goal and especially the decarbonisation of the economy. It is a very important reference and an example that even large organizations can make improvements in their internal processes to reduce emissions, “said Andrea Meza, director of Climate Change at MINAE.
In order to comply with this process, ICE applied the methodology indicated in the INTE-ISO 14064-1 standard and sections of the “WBSD / WRI GHG Protocol” to power generation plants, including awareness and training for personnel.
In addition to internal checks carried out by multidisciplinary teams of the Generation Business, external verification was carried out by the Institute of Technical Norms of Costa Rica (INTECO).
“This step taken by the Generation Business is an acknowledgment of the work that has been done in terms of the electricity matrix, which is the most decarbonised in Latin America. It is also an incentive for the other institutional areas to continue working on the path of sustainability, through the determination and management of their own carbon footprint, “said Miguel Víquez, environmental manager of the ICE’s Corporate Electricity Department.
In addition to the record of GHG emissions of 100% of the Chorotega Region , the Generation Business of the Institute has already accounted for 75% of the plants in the Central Region and 100% of Huetar .
Source: Grupo ICE