Central America is sitting on a green energy bank in the form of its active volcanoes. The potential for tapping into geothermal power in Guatemala, for example, is enormous, and the government there is offering tax breaks and other incentives for private investors Central America sits above shifting tectonic plates in the Pacific basin, and this often results in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. But it also provides a potential source of unlimited green energy in the form of geothermal power.Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano broods quietly today but it’s still active, erupting only months ago and providing a spectacular demonstration of the power that Guatemala’s government hopes can be tapped for practical use. [Romeo Rodriguez, Guatemalan Minister of Energy & Mines]: “Guatemala has an important potential for geothermal power because it’s located in a volcanic area. We are above three shifting tectonic plates; we have 34 volcanoes. We estimate we have the potential to produce up to 1000 Megawatts, to exploit in the use of electrical energy and other uses.” Some 1640 feet (500 meters) below the summit of Pacaya, pipes carrying steam and water at 347 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) snake across the mountainside to one of two geothermal plants currently operating in the country. Run by Israeli-owned Ormat Technologies Inc, the plant harnesses energy from water heated by chambers filled with molten rock deep beneath the ground. Geothermal power plants, while expensive …
