Renewables could be 27% of all energy by 2018

Santo Domingo. – The various renewable energyprojects operating and being developed in the Dominican Republic could raise thenational energy matrix to 27% by 2018.

National Energy Commission (CNE) director JuanRodríguez Nina said several investments have been inaugurated this year includethe San Pedro Bio Energy power plant, of 30 megawatts (MW) from solid waste, andthe Larimar Wind Farm of the EGE Haina Company, with 50 MW.

Adding to this will be another 50 MW when afacility in Guayubín, Montecristi (northwest) starts operating next year andthe expansion to 80 MW of another project in Monte Plata (east), as well asother wind generators expected to start construction in the first quarter of2017.

"Some (of the projects) already havetheir final concession and are in the process of financing; That is to say thatwe expect that once everything is completed, the country will have around 615to 620 megawatts of renewable energy," by mid 2018, the official said.

Rodriguez said when added to the country’shydroelectric plants, which produce as much as 15% of the electricity, "wewould be talking about 27% of the national energy matrix."

"This means that we will have exceededwhat we undertook under Law 57-07 and the Paris Summit on Climate Change heldin November 2015, to having 25% of the matrix in renewable energy."