Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 14 November 2023 – With abundant renewable energy potential and ambitious target to achieve 80 per cent of renewables share in the power generation by 2038, Honduras is already on the right path to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The Renewables Readiness Assessment: Honduras by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) identifies the need to have current energy laws enforced with regulations and implementation mechanism to accelerate the country’s energy transition.
As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change consequences in Latin America, Honduras faces the urgent need to reduce its CO2 emissions with increased use of renewables. Until recently, hydropower generation has been contributing the largest share to the renewable energy mix, but production faces more challenges due to alterations in climatic patterns. Honduras’ economy is also at risk as it relies on forestry, agriculture and fishing industries – all susceptible to adverse climate-related events.
Aimed at supporting the current government’s priority as laid out in the Energy Roadmap 2050 and National Plan 2010-2022, the report was developed in collaboration with the Honduran Energy Secretariat and the General Directorate of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. It highlights the role of renewable energy in reducing dependency on fossil fuels, enhancing access and efficiency, and promoting sustainable development.
IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera says, “Honduras has abundant natural resource reserves to achieve climate resilience and sustainable development. It has also shown ambitious commitment in renewable energy development. This Assessment identifies the gap between ambition and implementation, and makes recommendations to ensure that a successful transition benefits all in the communities.”
There are still challenges to bring access in Honduras’ remote areas and improve quality of services at affordable costs. Regulations that aim to attract increased investments in the deployment of variable renewable energy can improve energy access and meet the electricity needs.
The report finds that Honduras has high-quality solar potential for electricity production. The country has also large untapped biomass resources in the form of cane bagasse and palm oil waste. Comprehensive renewables projects could offer benefits to local communities, and add installed capacity in the electricity sector.
In its Energy Roadmap 2050 and National Plan 2010-2022, Honduras has set a target to achieve an 80% share of renewable energy in the country’s total electricity generation by 2038, up from the current 60%. However, national renewable energy and sustainable development ambitions in Honduras face important infrastructure constraints. For example, significant investment is needed to enhance the quality of energy and water services, including improvements in coverage and connectivity.
This Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA), developed in co-operation with the Honduran Energy Secretariat (SEN), identifies the key actions required to overcome existing barriers and expand renewable energy development.
It outlines a series of recommendations for strengthening energy institutions and governance; enhancing energy policy and regulatory frameworks for the renewable energy sector; promoting sustainable development and energy efficiency; strengthening the electricity industry; increasing investments in renewable energy technologies and infrastructure; and strengthening institutional and human capacities.
In Honduras, there is an important potential of untapped indigenous renewable energy resources. Due to the variability of high oil prices and declining renewable infrastructure costs, such resources could be developed at competitive prices.
Currently hydropower, solar and biomass are used on a large scale for electricity generation. While the potential of large generation from hydropower and geothermal energy has been studied in detail, the potential for the development of other renewable energy resources is yet to be explored in depth.[1]
The penetration of renewable energy technologies into rural electrification programs is still lagging behind due to a lack of clear and consistent policy framework in the field. As a result, most of the rural electrification activities are still grid extensions.[1]
In 2021, Honduras'' energy mix was led by oil, constituting 52.3% of the total energy supply, followed by biofuels and waste at 33.7%. Modern renewables, which exclude traditional biomass practices like burning wood or agricultural residues, accounted for 13.7%, while coal made up just 0.3%.[2]
Currently[when?], 33 percent (502 MW) of the installed capacity of the national interconnected system is hydro plants. There has been an intensive use of small- and medium-scale hydro energy, with 14 out of 16 existing hydro plants with capacity below 30 MW. Two large plants (El Cajón Dam (Honduras) and Rio Lindo) account, however, for more than 70% of the total capacity.[1]
In Honduras, there is a large potential for electricity generation based on hydropower. In 2003 then President Ricardo Maduro put in place a Special Commission for the Development of Hydroelectric Projects.[3]
There are 16 new hydro projects that are expected to be commissioned before 2011, with an overall capacity of 206.5 MW. The two largest projects are the Cangrejal and Patuca 3.[1] There are also other large hydropower project that are not included in the power expansion plan. These large projects have attracted some criticism. Some of the most prominent projects are:
Concerning medium-size and small dams, private developers receive tax breaks. Specifically, private producers are benefiting from fiscal incentives, tax exemptions, and the recognition of 10 percent of the short-term marginal cost per kWh as a premium. Fiscal incentives for small and medium-size hydropower have created a bias toward this type of development and against other renewable options, such as the use of photovoltaic, wind, and geothermal systems.[1]
In 2021, renewable electricity generation from non-combustible sources was led by hydro, representing 62.5% of the total. Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy followed at 18.9%, with wind power at 12.9%, and geothermal energy at 5.8%.[2]
Honduras has a large potential for electricity generation from biomass, mainly from the sugar industry. Currently, there are nine biomass projects in operation, with a total of 81.75 MW installed capacity. These plants are estimated to supply 2.3 percent of the total demand of energy in Honduras for 2007.[1]
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