Penonomé: Panama’s Foray into Wind Energy

Penonomé:  Panama’s Foray into Wind Energy

Mission

In 2011, Panama, a hydropower-reliant country, was looking to better adapt its electricity output to accommodate fluctuations in the region’s weather patterns. As a result, the country looked to adopt additional energy resources, like wind, so they would no longer be forced to ration energy usage in the summer months for schools, government buildings, and even elevators in high-rise buildings, when the nation’s hydroelectric dams were less productive. Goldwind, with its best-in-class turbine technology, stepped in to help develop what is now Panama’s first and largest wind projects - Penonomé I and II.

Solution

The 270 MW Penonomé I and II wind projects, located in the Coclé Province on Panama’s southern coast, are comprised of 86 Goldwind 2.5 MW turbines and cover over 47,000 acres. Developed by Union Eolica Panameña (UEP), the Penonomé project’s grid interconnection agreement is with Empresa de Transmision Electrica, S.A., Panama’s national power utility. As a result of Goldwind’s advanced, cost-efficient PMDD technology platform, the turbines were able to meet stringent Panamanian grid code requirements making them a natural fit for the Penonomé site.

Goldwind continues to provide the project with long-term service maintenance and a warranty package designed to ensure the project operates at high availability levels.