Wind Energy In Guatemala

The constant fluctuation in the price of oil, which makes the price of electricity more expensive, and the increase in CO2 emissions, which directly affects climate change, makes it necessary for Guatemala to start generating electricity using less and less fuel. of fossil origin, as a consequence of climate change, it is necessary for the current energy matrix to be seen with the wind energy component.

Of the places where there is data on the behavior of the wind, not all of them are capable of generating electricity to interconnect to the grid, since in order to use the energy of the wind, it is necessary that it reaches a minimum speed that depends on the wind turbine that is used but usually starts between 3 m / s (10 km / h) and 4 m / s (14.4 km / h), speed called "cut-in speed", and does not exceed 25 m / s (90 km / h), speed called "cut-outspeed".

Consequently, the places with wind potential are the Municipality of San Marcos, Alotenango in Sacatepéquez, Matacaescuintla in Jutiapa, Municipality of Jutiapa in Jutiapa, San Raymundo in Guatemala, La Concha, in Villa Canales, Guatemala, Comapa Jutiapa and Villa Canales Guatemala. The measurements of the wind behavior of the sites used for the estimates of the Annual Generated Energy were obtained from the General Directorate of Energy of the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

Although it is true that generating electricity in places with wind potential would be 2.5% of the total energy matrix, it is not very significant. However, 112.7 tons of CO2 per year would be avoided, taking energy production based on fossil coal as a reference. The avoided generation of CO2 would be equivalent to having a carbon sink of 3.9 hectares of rubber plantations, a native species of Guatemala.

The advantages are that it avoids the importation of coal, oil (it favors self-sufficiency), it avoids large environmental impacts such as acid rain and the greenhouse effect, it is cheap and does not produce waste, the technology necessary to install it is simple (for small teams), creates jobs, occupied spaces can allow agricultural and animal activity, does not depend on the change in the international market.

The disadvantages of wind energy are the impacts on fauna and flora, security to avoid accidents caused by falling wind turbines, visual impact, noise at a short distance, its production is intermittent, so for low-scale rural electrification it requires systems of storage.

References

Azurdia, I., & Arriaza, H. (2000). Experience on Wind Energy and other renewable energies in Guatemala; Experiencias sobre energia eolica y otras en Guatemala.

Chicojay Coloma, C. A. (2010). Impacto en la matriz energética de Guatemala debido a la generación de energía eólica (Doctoral dissertation, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala).