PERUVIAN WIND

From a recent issue of Living in Peru: “…with its abundant desert wind and sunshine, the coastal country [of Peru] is ripe for development of alternative energy…”

NewEnergyNews' Sunday World reports have previously chronicled wind development in Chile, Brazil and Mexico. Mexico is also developing solar energy. Brazil is, of course, one of the world leaders in ethanol production and is using the excess biomass from its ethanol production to build a biogas electricity-generation industry.

It is really interesting to watch Latin America wake up to New Energy, but note this: Much of the driving force behind the development of wind comes from local affiliates of Spanish wind industry giants. Is this economic development or a new kind of energy colonialism?

click to enlarge

Large Wind Park Will Be Peru’s First Major Alternative Energy Project
Levi Novey, 17 September 2008 (Living In Peru)

WHO
Iberoperuana Inversiones SAC, Peruvian affiliate of windiberica

WHAT
Iberoperuana Inversiones SAC has begun construction of Peru’s 1st New Energy project, the “Parque Eólico San Andrés” (San Andrés Wind Park).

Prime wind sites in Peru. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- September 2008: An inauguration ceremony celebrated the installation of the 1st turbine.
- End of 2008: The installation is expected to be generating 22 megawatts.
- 2010: Project completion.

WHERE
- The installation will be near the city of Ica (near Paracas National Park and the Nazca Lines) in Peru’s southern desert region of Paracas.
- An earlier “small wind” demonstration project was built in the tiny, isolated mountain village of Alumbre.
- Iberoperuana Inversiones is based in Lima, Peru.

WHY
- Parque Eólico San Andrés will have a 240-megawatt capacity.
- It will cost $240 million.
- The company says the installation will provide electricity for 80,000 families.
- The success of the “small wind” project in Alumbre suggested great wind potential in Peru.
- Parque Eólico San Andrés is the 1st of 15 Peruvian projects licensed by Iberoperuana Inversiones.

Peru also has solar assets ripe for exploiting. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Antonio Caballo, spokesman, Iberoperuana Inversiones: “…[T]he opportunity that we have been given by the government to invest in Peru by the Ministry of Energy and Mines has opened very large doors for investors worldwide.”