Commercial solar heat market in Panama starts moving
The Termosolar Panamá initiative is bearing its first fruits. Three large pumped solar systems in the public health sector and two solar industrial heat plants started operation in the last weeks in Panama. All these installations were planned and executed by local contractors who had taken part in training programmes offered by Termosolar Panamá. The initiative started in July 2018 with the aim of developing the solar thermal market in Panama, offering technical training, supporting development of standards and test facilities, carrying out a marketing and advertising campaign for solar heat usage in a wide range of applications and subsiding the construction of ten demonstration systems totalling 430 m2. The photo shows one of the demonstrators at the public hospital San Miguel Arcángel.
Photo: Termosolar Panamá
The three largest hospitals – San Miguel Arcángel, Luis Chicho Fábrega and José Domingo de Obaldía – profited from 100 % subsidised solar water heater systems. “These three installations are the first of their kind in Panama”, confirmed Luis Navntoft from the United Nations Environment Programme, who is senior advisor for the execution of Termosolar Panamá. “The fact that the larger pumped systems with more than 100 m2 were developed completely by local contractors who had participated in our training shows that local capacities have been established.”
104 m2 of collectors have been supplying hot water to José Domingo de Obaldía Hospital since November 2022. Photo: Termosolar Panamá
Before the Termosolar Panamá initiative, solar thermal installations were isolated projects for a very small segment of the population. The initiative has created a steadily growing solar thermal market in the Central-American country. Since its start in 2018, solar collectors totalling 339 m2 have been installed with private funds. In these cases, the initiative supported the design and the development of the projects.
First SHIP plants in Panama
Among the ten demonstration plants are two industrial heat systems. One plant with 210 m2 is installed at Avícola Melo, a poultry processing facility. The other system of 60 m2 is installed at the company Cocina Pio Pio, providing hot water for pre-cooking of frozen food. Both projects were assessed and designed by Termosolar Panamá.
“Being the first SHIP projects in Panama, everybody doubted the results. Now that the systems are working as expected and results can be measured, the message is spreading fast and requests from potential clients are reaching the contractors every day”, observed Navntoft from UNEP. “These projects have shown that private investment in solar heat is an excellent technological choice and a good way to save money as well as protecting our planet.”
| Client | San Miguel Arcángel Hospital | Luis Chicho Fábrega Hospital | José Domingo de Obaldía Hospital | Avicola Melo | Cocina Central Pio Pio |
| Collector size | 101 m2 | 186 m2 | 104 m2 | 210 m2 | 64 m2 |
| Collector type | Flat-plate collectors | Flat-plate collectors | Flat-plate collectors | Flat-plate collectors | Flat-plate collectors |
| Manufacturer of collectors | Chromagen | Modulo solar | Modulo solar | Modulo solar | Modulo solar |
| Storage size | 6,000 litres | 8,000 litres | 6,000 litres | 20,000 litres | 5,000 litres |
| Executing contractors | ENSA Servicios and NEO, Panama | PASS, Panama | PASS, Panama | NEO, Panama | NEO, Panama |
| Commissioning date | August 2022 | November 2022 | November 2022 | November 2022 | November 2022 |
| Investment costs | 110,000 USD | 113,000 USD | 130,000 USD | 105,000 USD | 40,000 USD |
| Amount of subsidy from Termosolar Panamá | 100% | 100% | 100% | 10% | 10% |
| Realised / Planned savings | Measured 30 gallons of oil per day | Estimated at 25 gallons a day (In study) | Estimated at 25 gallons a day(In study) | 77% of energy demand for water heating for poultry scalding process. | 90% of energy demand for water heating for pre-cooking |
Key figures of recently commissioned commercial systems that were supported by Termosolar Panamá
Source: Termosolar Panamá
Introduction to the three local contractors:
- The company NEO was founded in 2016, is headquartered in Panama City and focuses on solar installations – photovoltaics and solar thermal,
- PASS SA is committed to clean energy solutions for commercial customers. PV and solar thermal solutions are part of its portfolio.
- ENSA Servicios is also committed to clean energy solutions for commercial customers. PV and solar thermal solutions are part of the portfolio, but also electric mobility, telecommunication services and energy efficiency.
Introduction to Termosolar Panamá
The project is funded by the Global Environment Fund, executed by UNEP and managed by the National Energy Secretariat of Panama together with the Panama Environmental Ministry, Banco General and the National Technological University of Panama. The initiative supports the implementation of the national plan to install one million m2 of solar collectors by 2050.
Organisations mentioned in this news article:
Termosolar Panamá: http://www.termosolarpanama.com
NEO: https://www.neodigital.co/index.html
PASS: https://www.ensaservicios.com/
SNE: http://www.energia.gob.pa
MELO: https://grupomelo.com/
MINSA: Panama Health Ministry http://www.minsa.gob.pa
