Solar power projects Ecuador

What is Ecuador's first solar power project?

QUITO, March 3 (Reuters) - Ecuador's government on Friday signed a deal with Spanish company Solarpack for the construction and operation of the country's first large-scale solar power project, with an estimated investment of nearly $145 million.

Will El Aromo be Ecuador's first solar power plant?

Due to its scale and location El Aromo remains a bellwether project for Ecuador’s solar future. While Solarpack already has 15 solar generation projects in Spain, Chile, Peru, and India, El Aromo will be the company’s first power plant in Ecuador.

Could solar power change Ecuador's energy mix?

That would have the potential to radically alter Ecuador’s energy mix. Ecuador’s Master Plan for Electricity (PME) 2018-2027 outlines energy initiatives led by the Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR). Despite some setbacks due to Covid-19, governmental support for new solar projects increased during 2020.

Does Ecuador have a solar energy policy?

He notes that Ecuador currently has only one energy policy related to photovoltaic solar energy: a net-metering policy introduced in October 2018 to promote distributed generation and to allow residential, commercial, and industrial operators to consume power generated using their own solar equipment.

What is Ecuador's largest hydropower plant?

CCS is the country’s largest hydropower plant by generation capacity. Ecuador’s state-owned electricity company CELEC imports electricity from neighboring Colombia, costing $400 million in 2022. It is also increasing diesel purchases from Petroecuador to power its thermal electric power plants.

How many hydropower plants are there in Ecuador?

Ecuador has eight large scale hydropower plants in the East with 3,885 MW of installed capacity. This includes Coca Codo Sinclair (1500 MW) and Paute Molino (1,100 MW).