International Symposium on Earth Science and Technology 2018

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY UPDATE IN ECUADORXavier ASIMBAYA

Public Corporation for Electricity – CELEC EP, Ecuador

ARCONEL

Ministry of Energy and non-

renewable natural resources

Ministry of the

Environment

Public Corporation for

Electricity Generation

Public Institute for Geology

and Energy research

Capital Extension Population Currency Language

Quito 283 561 km2 > 17 millions USD Spanish

ENERGY STATUS AND GEOTHERMAL USES

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN • ECUADORIAN CONSTITUTION •

ELECTRICITY MASTER PLAN

Since 2008 with the approval of the new constitution, the government focused

its effort to change the energy matrix, promoting the electricity generation from

renewable energies, especially hydro, but also including geothermal, wind,

solar and biomass.

The energy mix: 55.40% hydro, 34.43% thermal, 2.35% from other renewables

and 7.82% from international electrical connections, with a total effective

installed capacity of 8117.93 MW.

71.31 % 26.54 % 0.27 % 0.13%

Gross power generation: 28811.85 GWh

1.68 % 0.06 %

Demand

23370.94 GWh

According to EMP 2016 , the productive matrix case, Ecuador expects to

demand more than 2000 MW for 2025.

60%

3%

37%

7 483 MW

68%1%

5%

26%

11 435 MW

2018 2025

Theoretical geothermal

potential:

952 MW - 2000MW.

Current use: 5 MWt

GEOTHERMAL CONTEXT AND CURRENT STATUS

Ecuador has 4 regions, from west to east: Galapagos Island, Pacific coast, Andes and Amazon region.

Galapagos is a hotspot with at least 20 subaerial volcanoes. 150 MW potential has been estimated.

Pacific coast is a fore arc basin without present volcanic activity. Some geothermal fluids with high methane and saline contents are discharge to the surface.

Andes is the volcanic arc with more than 80 quaternary volcanoes and at least 20 have presented volcanic activity in Holocene.

Amazon is the back arc basin and its western margin is a part of the Andes mountain chain with volcanic activity.

20 geothermal prospects

Chachimbiro: The prospect lies in the Chachimbiro volcanic complex. Through

JICA-CELEC EP agreement the first geothermal well “PEC-1” was constructed. 66

MW capacity was estimated and nowadays CELEC EP is planning the 2nd stage.

Chacana: The prospect lies in the Chacana caldera with 2 main

prospects Cachiyacu and Jamanco. CELEC will make gradient wells in

order to define the side and the target of a deep drilling.

Jamanco 26 MW

Baños de Cuenca: The prospect is related with an ancient volcanism.

In 2016 and 2017 CELEC EP carried out 2 gravity surveys in order to

confirm geological structures related with the hydrothermal activity.

Currently CELEC EP is planning the next stage including MT survey.

CELEC EP AND CHALLENGES

CELEC EP has 14 business units and of which Termopichincha, is leading the

geothermal exploration. CELEC EP-Termopichincha has geophysical

equipment and a complete laboratory for support it.

Specialist staff

Financing

Local unawareness

Environmental

aspects and location

SUMMARY

• The governmental policies, which promote the renewable energies

exploitation in order to change the energy matrix, have allowed the first

geothermal well completion in Chachimbiro through JICA’s fund.

• The additional studies in Jamanco and Baños de Cuenca have increased

the confidence to continue these projects to the next stage.

• Several challenges have been found and are being improved with the

progress of geothermal exploration also these activities allowed geothermal

energy to be included in the Electricity Master Plan 2016-2025.

• The promulgation of policies that encourage the use of geothermal

resources in any forms, through incentives to industry and investors, will

help accelerate the development of geothermal energy in Ecuador.