CURRENT STATUS OF

RENEWABLE ENERGIES
IN GUATEMALA

General Information of the

Country
Capital City

Guatemala City

Currency

Quetzal

Exchange Rate

1 US$ = 7.83
Quetzales

Official Language

Spanish

Population

15.082.831

Labor Force

6.2 Million

Location

Guatemala is located
in the hearth of the
american continent.
It
borders
with
Mexico at North and
West; at East, with
Belize, Honduras, El
Salvador and the
Caribbean
Ocean;
and at South with
the Pacific Ocean.

Government Policy
GENERAL OBJECTIVE:
Contributing to the countrys sustainable energy development,
quality energy supply and competitive prices.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
Increasing the energy supply at competitive prices.
Diversifying the energy matrix by prioritizing renewable
energies.
Promoting competition and investment.
Encouraging sustainable development with renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Increasing energy efficiency.
Fostering energy integration.

Incentives for this sector

This Law provides incentives in energy projects
related to renewable energy, which consist in the
following:
Exemption on tariffs for imports during the
preliminary stage and construction.
Exemption from income tax for a period of 10
years.
Tax
Exemption
and
Agricultural
Business
Enterprises for a period of 10 years.

Guatemalas Installed Capacity

Through most of the 20th century, Guatemala relied mostly on
hydropower to meet its electricity demand and some hydroelectric
plants have been operational for over 70 years.
Fuel Type

Technology

Installed
Capactity
(MW)

Installed
Capacity (%)

Coal

Steam Turbine

159.00

6.8 %

Diesel

Gas Turbine

260.90

11.1%

Fuel Oil
(Bunker)

Internal Combustion
Engine

736.70

32.3%

Bagasse

Steam Turbine

371.50

15.8%

Geothermal

Steam Turbine

49.20

2.1%

Water

Hydroelectric

774.10

32.9%

2351.40

(Harvest
Time)

206.70

8.7%

Total Installed
Capacity:
Fuel Oil

Steam Turbine

Observati
ons
San Jose
Plant

Harvest
Time

Non-

Change in Generation Matrix

With a change in the energy matrix it is expected that in a period
of 15 years (from 2012-2027) a decrease of 18.68% in power
generation based on fossil fuels may be reduced and an increase
of power generation based renewable energy is expected.

Why Invest in Guatemala?

Mature and experienced sector, with over 100 years operating under a defined
and well regulated legal framework.
Great development of the sector: to date there are 49 electricity generation
companies, 5 transmission companies,16 distribution companies and 18 sales
companies.
80% of electricity generation is originated by private investment.
Incentives Law for the Development of Renewable Energy Projects has achieved
that 70% of new electricity projects in Guatemala are related to renewable
energy.
Electricity exports opportunity to Central America through the SIEPAC (Electrical
Interconnection System for Central America). By 2012, electricity exports
amounted to 324.32 MW.

Institutions that offer support for

this sector are:
Ministry of Energy and Mines
www.mem.gob.gt

Guatemalan Chamber of Industry

www.industriaguate.com
National Competitiveness Program
www.pronacom.org
Wholesale Market Administrator
www.amm.org.gt
National Commission of Electric Energy
www.cnee.gob.gt
Invest in Guatemala
www.investinguatemala.org

ENERWASTE: Biogas Project

ENERWASTE is a Guatemalan company that will be dedicated
to the generation of electricity and organic fertilizer derived
from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste.
OBJECTIVES:
Generate 400 kWh of green energy to power supply 1200 monthly
homes with an average of monthly consumption of 250 kW.
Generate solid and liquid organic fertilizer.

Biogas Process

Biogas Production Calculus

To be able to size the project it was essential to study the type of waste that will
produce biogas, testing dry matter (%), volatile matter (%), for each type of
waste to be treated. With these results it was determined the amount of biogas
production to generate 400 kWh of power, as you can see below:
No.

TYPE OF WASTE

SAMPLING

DRY MATTER (%)

1
2
3
4

Fruits and vegetables mixture

Fruits and vegetables mixture
Fruits and vegetables mixture
Broccoli, cauliflower, peas
mixture
Fruits and vegetables mixture

CENMA Market
CENMA Market
La Terminal Market
Vegetables Exporter

13
12
14
11

VOLATILE MATTER
(%)
87
88
89
92

La Terminal Market
AVERAGE

15
13 %

89
89 %

TYPE OF
WASTE
Fruits and
vegetables
mixture
SUM

QUANTITY QUANTITY MIXTUR

(Tons/day) (Tons/year) E (%)

70

25,200

100

70

25,200

100

BIOGAS PRODUCTION
DRY
VOLATILE
MATTER
t
MATTER
(%)
DM/year
(%)

13%

3,276
3,276

89%

t
m3
VM/yea m3 /t VM biogas
r
/year

%
CH4

m3
CH4
/year

1,676,4
93

0.53

888,54
1

2,916
2,916

575

1,676,4
93

888,5
41

Biogas Production Calculus

TOTAL POWER AVAILABLE
PCI methane
35,910 kJ/m3
m3
CH4 produced
888,541 CH4/year
Annual operating
hours
8,000 Hours
TOTAL WASTE
POWER
1,108 kW
Electric
k
0.02
consumption
5% 21.604 W
2
Available electric
410.4 k 0.41
power
95%
77 W
0
129.62 k
0.13
Heat consumption
30%
4 W
0
Available thermal
302.45 k
0.30
INSTALLATION SUMMARY
power
7 W
2
Generating electrical70%
power
Generating thermal
power
Annual operating hours

410

KW

302

KW
Hour
s

8,000

M
W
M
W
M
W
M
W

ENERWASTE: Biogas Project

Process Flow Diagram

Components Diagram

Technology
Biogas
Hochreiter

Preliminary Drawing

Implementation of the Project

Civil Engineering (primary fermenter, secondary fermenter,
receiveing tank, earthmoving, offices, among others) will be
performed by a local company Castaeda and Molina Engineers,
with over 25 years of experience in construction, winners of
Cementos Progreso Excellence prize on several occasions and have
carried out more tan 100 projects in Guatemala.
Design, machinery, equipment and components shall be designed
and installed (turn-key project) by the German company Biogas
Hochreiter, with more than 25 years of experience in the design,
installation and maintenance of biogas plants.

CONTACT
gabyhernandez@enerwaste.com.gt
Guatemala City

THANK YOU