Wind power in Venezuela: the first 100 MW wind farm in 2011

In addition, the Government is working on a project to generate wind power in La Guajira, Zulia state, since studies indicate the possibility of developing up to 10,000 megawatts of wind power.

Paraguana in Falcon state, about 453 kilometers from the city of Caracas, is the first wind power plant of Venezuela.

Venezuela will install 10,000 megawatts of wind power in the next 15 years. Through two projects that have been submitted to the Ministry of Science and Technology, one is to make the study of all the coast to identify areas where wind can be put to future generation, and the other is to identify how much is the potential wind energy in Venezuela, said Oswaldo Ravelo, chairman of the Association of Wind Energy in Venezuela.

Venezuela’s energy authorities and the Association of Wind Energy proposes to install in the country for the next 15 years, 10 thousand megawatts of wind power generation.

The president of the Association of Wind Energy in Venezuela, Oswaldo Ravelo said that currently are providing technical lectures at various universities in the country to promote the use of this wind energy source.

‘We have two projects that we have submitted to the Ministry of Science and Technology, one is to make the study of all the coast to identify areas where wind can be put to future generation, and the other is to identify how much wind energy potential we have in the country, "said Ravelo.

The president of Wind Energy Association in the country adding that those 10 thousand megawatts would represent 10% of the projected demand for 2025, considering a growth of 6%.

On the issue of wind energy, the Minister of People’s Power for Electricity, Ali Rodriguez Araque, said that in Paraguana (Falcon) and La Guajira (Zulia state) studies indicate the possibility of placing up to 10 megawatts of wind power.

‘We are preparing for the installation of wind power generation increased in Venezuela, "he said.

"These are advantages that Venezuela should take, it is not enough that we have oil, and increasingly it is not used for electricity generation and transport ‘ he said.

Also, the National Executive works in the incorporation of solar energy through photovoltaic cells in isolated areas of the country.

‘In addition, we are studying a very ambitious project to replace all water heaters on electricity and gas, by solar, because it is absurd that in a tropical country we are consuming as much electricity and gas, "stated Rodriguez Araque.

All these plans are part of the Revolutionary Government policy to seek independence generation the country has of the Guri hydroelectric dam, which currently supplies about 70% of the population.

The towers of the 24 wind turbines of the first wind farm in Venezuela will be installed in June and July this year, said Stella Lugo, governor of Falcon state, where the wind farm is built.

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