WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

2.2.1 Belize
Lara Esser, International Center on Small Hydro Power
Key facts
Population 327,719 1
Area 22,966 km 2
Climate Tropical, very hot and humid 1
Topography Mostly flat, with swampy coastal
plains and low mountains in the
South 1
Rain pattern Rainy season from May to November.
Dry season from February to May.
Hurricane season from June to
November when coastal flooding,
especially in the South, may occur 1
Electricity sector overview
The Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and
Public Utilities is the main authority on energy in
Belize, while the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is the
main generator, distributor and transmitter of
electricity in the country. BEL satisfies 58 per cent of
the country’s electricity needs. 2 The Canadian utility,
Fortis, was the private owner of BEL until 2011 when
the Belizean government re-nationalized BEL by
Hydro Maya operates small hydropower plants with an
annual generation of 7.7 GWh. 5 Belize’s estimated
small hydro potential is 37.6 GWh per year. 5 The
installed capacity of small hydropower up to 10 MW is
7.3 MW (figure 2).
SHP installed
capacity
SHP potential
7.3 MW
51.3 MW
0 20 40 60
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Belize
Source: International Journal on Hydropower and
Dams 5
Fig
Renewable energy policy
The principles of sustainable development are
embodied in Belize’s national development plan called
Horizon 2030. One of the strategic priorities of Horizon
2030 is the promotion of green energy and energy
efficiency and conservation, including the creation of
an institutional framework for producing a viable
energy policy. In February 2012, the Government of
Belize endorsed the National Energy Policy and
Planning Framework. 6
55%
Other 1%
Diesel 1%
Co-generation 10%
Imports from Mexico
33%
Hydro
expropriating 70 per cent of the Fortis shares. 2
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Belize
Source: Belize Electricity Limited 3
Note: Co-generation includes sugar cane, bagasse and
heavy fuel oil.
BEL satisfies the country’s peak demand of about 80.6
MW from multiple sources of energy (figure 1).
Approximately 65 per cent of the energy distributed
by BEL in 2010 was from renewable energy sources. 3
In Belize, 85 per cent of the total households have
access to electricity. Electrification is close to 100 per
cent in urban areas and almost 50 per cent in rural
areas. 4
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
Belize has no small hydropower definition, therefore
information on its installed capacity vary. According to
Climatescope 2012, small hydropower represents 13
per cent of the total installed capacity of 136 MW,
making small hydropower a crucial player in Belize’s
energy mix. 2 It reported a total small hydropower
capacity of 53 MW, of which 22 MW had been
commissioned between 2006-2011. 2 The 53 MW has
included power plants of up to 25 MW.
The Belize National Sustainable Energy Strategy
2012-2033 aims to institutionalize a countrywide
infrastructure to collect data and assess the potential
for converting solar, wind and hydro to electricity, in
order to identify feasible sites for development. One
of its goals, Goal 5, is to increase hydropower up to 70
MW by 2033. It suggests for the revision of in the
technical assessments of hydropower resource
capacity to identify new sources, to determine the
potential and to develop expansion plans. 6
Belize is a founding member of the Small Island
Developing States Sustainable Energy Initiative (SIDS
DOCK) that was established in 2009. The initiative is
committed to the collective goal of increasing energy
efficiency by 25 per cent (2005 baseline), to generate a
minimum of 50 per cent of electric power from
renewable sources and to a 20-30 per cent decrease in
conventional transportation fuel use by 2033. 6
Barriers to small hydropower development
Renewable energy investment barriers of Belize
include the nationalization of the previously vertically
integrated BEL. Additionally, political instability that
coupled with high sovereign debts of up to 13 per cent
and a lack of policy frameworks could further hinder
the interest of potential investors. 2
References
1. Central Intelligence Agency (2012). The World
Factbook. Available from
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook.
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