The percentage of total generation that solar power represents in Panama could break the single-digit mark in the coming years if plants under development materialize.

Information from public services regulator Asep shows that installed capacity from this non-conventional renewable energy totaled 176MW in May, or 5% of the country’s generation park.

At end-June, there were 14 definitive and 11 provisional solar licenses in place for 230MW and 261MW, respectively.

The largest definitive license is for Avanzalia Panamá’s 120MW Penonomé plant, which is under construction and scheduled to begin operations in 2020. The provisional licenses are led by Fotovoltaica Sajalices’ 100MW Camarones project.

The project pipeline has now passed 500MW with the granting of three provisional licenses for a combined 30MW by the watchdog.

The latest licensees are AES Panamá with the planned Caoba Solar and Cedro Solar parks, each for 9.97MWn (12.99MWp), and Pedregalito Solar Power with a 10MWn (12.5MWp) project. The three plants would be built in Chiriquí province.

AES and Pedregalito submitted the license requests in April and January, respectively, and now have 12 months to submit documents, such as approved EISs, to secure the definitive licenses.

The solar projects are part of AES Panamá’s diversification strategy, while this would be a first such project for Pedregalito, a subsidiary of Panamá Power Holdings.