1. Feasibility Study for the
CEL Solar Photovoltaic
Power Pilot Project in El
Salvador
L. Martín Gómez Rocha
NMSU-Institute for Energy and
Environment, College of Engineering
New Mexico State University

2. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposal
• In 2011, USTDA released RFPs for four
projects in Latin America
• Awarded to NMSU in January 2012
• Contract signed in May 2012 (start delayed
until August)
New Mexico State University

3. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Background
• El Salvador opened its energy market in 2007
• Over 15 small utilities (most of them private)
• Comisión Ejecutiva Hidroeléctrica del Rio
Lempa (CEL), public utility that used to be in
charge of the whole electricity generation in
the country
• There is now a competitive market ~1,300
MW total
New Mexico State University

4. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Background
• No fossil fuels resources in country
• El Salvador heavily depends on imported oil
• High cost of electricity ~25 cents/kWh
• El Salvador wants to expand its renewable
energy resources including hydropower, solar,
wind, geothermal.
• CEL is tendering a 14 MW PV plant.
New Mexico State University

5. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Background
• CEL already has a 24 kWp pilot project at its
headquarters in San Salvador.
New Mexico State University

6. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• NMSU Study
• Composed of 11 Tasks:
• Task 1: Kick-Off Meeting and Inception Report
– Subtask 1.1: Kick-Off Meeting
– Subtask 1.2: Inception Report
• Task 2: Technical Analysis
– Subtask 2.1: Available Documentation
– Subtask 2.2: Solar Resource and Site Assessments
– Subtask 2.3: Preliminary Comparative Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic
Technologies
– Subtask 2.4: Technical Configuration and Preliminary Conceptual Design
• Task 3: Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment
• New Mexico State University

7. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Task 3: Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment
• Task 4: U.S. Sources of Supply, identifying the potential
value of U.S. exports of products and services
• Task 5: Financial Analysis
• Task 6: Risk Analysis
New Mexico State University

8. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Task 7: Regulatory Review
– Subtask 7.1 : Permits
– Subtask 7.2: Tariff Filing
• Task 8: Development Impact Assessment
• Task 9: Implementation Plan
• Task 10: Financing Plan
• Task 11: Final Report
New Mexico State University

9. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Task 2
• It is the backbone of the study
• The results from this Task will determine the rest of the study
• Will define the size of the project, according to the available land
and solar resource
• It is the next step of the study, due by the end of January
New Mexico State University

10. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
Hydropower plant “Cerrón Grande”
New Mexico State University

11. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
Hydropower plant “Cerrón Grande”
• 69 Km (43 mi) from San Salvador
• Excellent roads to the site
New Mexico State University

12. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
• Available land: 10.4 Ha
• Plots (parcelas) 19, 23 & 24
New Mexico State University

13. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
• “Cerrón Grande”
New Mexico State University

14. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
“Cerrón Grande”
New Mexico State University

15. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
Hydropower plant “5 de Noviembre”
New Mexico State University

16. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
Hydropower plant “5 de Noviembre”
89 Km (56 mi) from San Salvador
Excellent roads to the site
Available land: 9.2 Ha
Plots: 34, 36 & 38, Soccer field and La Pista
New Mexico State University

17. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
“5 de Noviembre”
New Mexico State University

18. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
“5 de Noviembre”
New Mexico State University

19. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed
locations
“5 de Noviembre”
La Pista (The runway) 5.4 Ha
Will be used temporarily for the
service facilities of the company
repowering the hydropower
plant, +20-25 MW.
New Mexico State University

20. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Proposed locations
“5 de Noviembre”
In La Pista, there is a manmade
hill (~45 feet high) from the
materials removed during the
building of the hydropower plant.
New Mexico State University

21. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Environmental issues (Task 3)
– El Salvador has severe problems of deforestation
– Environmental laws are really tough
– For instance, for every 8 inch diameter tree being cut, 10
trees have to be planted
– Environmental forms to be submitted for projects less than
5 MW or 5 Ha
– A comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment is
required for projects larger than 5 MW or 5 Ha (expensive)
New Mexico State University

22. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Interconnection issues
– It seems there will not be any technical problems
hooking the photovoltaic plant to the grid at both
sites
– In “Cerrón Grande” there is a distribution line @
46KV, about 200 meters from the project site
– In “5 de Noviembre” there is an “electrical bus” in
the substation that is not being used and there is
enough room in the transformers (@41.6 MVA).
New Mexico State University

23. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Interconnection issues
New Mexico State University

24. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Solar Resource
• They have been monitoring
in several places
• UES, UCA, Meteorological
Stations, LaGeo (DNI)
• Good solar resource in most
of the country; 5.8 kWh/m2
average solar irradiance
New Mexico State University

25. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• PV project already installed at the
International Airport in Comalapa
– Air Force Base (Salvadoran and USAF)
– 99 kWp total at two sites
New Mexico State University

26. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• International Airport at Comalapa
New Mexico State University

27. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• International Airport at Comalapa
New Mexico State University

28. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• International Airport at Comalapa
New Mexico State University

29. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• International Airport at Comalapa
New Mexico State University

30. PV Pilot Project, El Salvador
• Final Remarks
– The energy sector legal framework allows the development of
PV projects in El Salvador.
– El Salvador government policies are looking to diversify its
energy portfolio
– We are thinking of two 4 MWp photovoltaic plant, one for each
site
– NMSU is looking to expand markets for solar products from
American and New Mexican suppliers
– One important goal of the project is to reduce the high price of
electricity in El Salvador
New Mexico State University