Meteotest – Nicaragua

Swiss Partners

METEOTEST, Bern,
www.meteotest.ch,
Stefan Kunz, Beat Schaffner

ENCO Energie-Consulting Ltd., Liestal,
www.enco-ag.ch,
Robert Horbaty

Project Type:

Feasibility Study

Technology:

Wind

Country:

Nicaragua

Project Status:

Completed

Project Start:

2006

End of Project:

2008

Contract:

2006.02

Documentation

Swiss Contribution

Swiss experience in wind measurements, wind modelling and wind park planning is the basis for this project which includes cooperation with interested local wind park partners.

Description

A first wind condition mapping project in Nicaragua was conducted by a Swiss-Nicaraguan consortium in the period from October 2003 to July 2005. The resulting wind map shows a potential of 760 MW, of which 160 MW alone could be immediately developed in the El Crucero region. The measured average wind speed at turbine height amounts to around 9 m/s in this region, making it one of the most interesting sites for wind energy production in Central America. This study work’s main objective was to present a workable wind park pilot project in the multi-megawatt range.