Atlas pegs Peru's useable wind power potential at 22 GW
Peru's useable wind power generation potential is 22 GW, according to a just-released 87-page wind atlas by the
government's rural electrification project Foner.
Although total wind power generation potential in the country reaches 77.4 GW, this number drops after eliminating
areas at or above 3,000 m above sea level, with slopes over 20 %, in populated centres, in protected areas or due to
rivers, canyons or lakes.
Nine of Peru's 25 regions have been identified as having useable potential: Ica (9.14 GW), Piura (7.55 GW), Cajamarca
(3.45 GW), Arequipa (1.16 GW), Lambayeque (564 MW), La Libertad (282 MW), Lima (156 MW), Ancash (138 MW) and Amazonas
(6 MW).
Telematica and consortium Meteosim Truewind-Latin Bridge Business prepared the atlas, which was presented to Peru's
energy and mines ministry. The atlas provides wind speed and density at three heights: 50 m, 80 m and 100 m.
Although there is no commercial wind power generation in Peru, the ministry has said it envisions 300 MW of wind
generated power coming online in 2010. Since 2007, the ministry has awarded 58 temporary concessions to develop wind
power generation projects, according to a ministry report released this month. The concessions total 9.42 GW, the
largest projects of which are 300 MW and the smallest 50 MW.
In 2008, the government signed a renewables promotion law which includes a guaranteed 12 % internal rate of return
and preferential dispatch for such projects.
