Minister of Energy: New milestone: Renewable energy surpasses 50% of national power output

[Dolores]

Renewable energy sources generated 1,222.75 megawatts (MW) on Saturday, 8 February 2025, surpassing thermal energy by 0.85%, which contributed 1,201.47 MW.

In a groundbreaking announcement, Minister of Energy and Mines Joel Santos revealed that, for the first time, renewable energy provided more than 50% of the electricity needed by the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI) at 1:38pm.

This milestone, Santos emphasized, marks a significant step toward the Dominican Republic’s transition to a cleaner, more efficient energy future. “This is an important achievement in securing our energy independence and reducing our environmental footprint,” said Santos.

The minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing renewable energy’s share in the national grid, aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable energy...

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[Gadfly]

good for the DR making an effort to address earth’s changing climate !

 

[Gadfly]

You keep your finger on the emoji button all day? Your quick mangoo

 

[windeguy]

I would prefer that the DR announced that it kept the lights on for everyone 99.9% of the time.

As for climate change, the world isn't doing much in that regard. People need energy. The DR's part is just a drop in the ocean.

 

[NanSanPedro]

I would love to see the data to substantiate his claim. The problem is, it's probably not verifiable.

 

[josh2203]

I would love to see the data to substantiate his claim. The problem is, it's probably not verifiable.

I did not check their website, but thought if there's perhaps info available for all the plantas and how much in mw they produce. To be honest, I had no idea the DR was already at close to 50% with renewables. So these are wind and solar parks?

 

[josh2203]

As for climate change, the world isn't doing much in that regard. People need energy. The DR's part is just a drop in the ocean.

This is one thing I really dislike as a European. There are parts in Europe where CO2 rules are in place and everything is expensive, at the same time, elsewhere in the world, there are huge countries that completely make the effort worthless in the sense that no matter how much CO2 is saved in Europe, other countries produce much much more. I'm all for green thinking but everything needs to be balanced and reasonable. Currently, I feel that in particular in Europe, this is not the case, but insanity. I can say this as I'm from one of the countries where drastic measures for CO2 neutrality are in place and consider it stupid in the drastic way it's sometimes done. And meanwhile elsewhere... Pollution pollution pollution... If these countries that pollute to the extreme (such as India or something) would be on another planet, but they are not, we're all sharing the same atmosphere...

 

[Ecoman1949]

I would love to see the data to substantiate his claim. The problem is, it's probably not verifiable.

The data should be verifiable because what they produce generates revenue for them. They have to keep track somehow. All electrical generating facilities including solar have metered production systems. Power generated versus power out. The question is the quality of their data. They could be skewing the data to make their claim.The DR doesn’t have a Public Utilities Board to audit the companies.

I don’t think the majority of Dominicans care where and how the power is generated. Just as long as it’s there and accessible whether they pay for it or not. Remember my post about the the money allocated by developed countries at the last COP conference to assist countries impacted by climate change? Some of the money was designated for new energy sources. The DR power generators may be building a case for some of that money to build more solar generation capacity.

 

[bob saunders]

The data should be verifiable because what they produce generates revenue for them. They have to keep track somehow. All electrical generating facilities including solar have metered production systems. Power generated versus power out. The question is the quality of their data. They could be skewing the data to make their claim.The DR doesn’t have a Public Utilities Board to audit the companies.

I don’t think the majority of Dominicans care where and how the power is generated. Just as long as it’s there and accessible whether they pay for it or not. Remember my post about the the money allocated by developed countries at the last COP conference to assist countries impacted by climate change? Some of the money was designated for new energy sources. The DR power generators may be building a case for some of that money to build more solar generation capacity.

my question would what king of storage capacity do they have?

 

[windeguy]

my question would what king of storage capacity do they have?

I have never seen any news that wind or solar in the DR has storage.

 

[Ecoman1949]

T

This is one thing I really dislike as a European. There are parts in Europe where CO2 rules are in place and everything is expensive, at the same time, elsewhere in the world, there are huge countries that completely make the effort worthless in the sense that no matter how much CO2 is saved in Europe, other countries produce much much more. I'm all for green thinking but everything needs to be balanced and reasonable. Currently, I feel that in particular in Europe, this is not the case, but insanity. I can say this as I'm from one of the countries where drastic measures for CO2 neutrality are in place and consider it stupid in the drastic way it's sometimes done. And meanwhile elsewhere... Pollution pollution pollution... If these countries that pollute to the extreme (such as India or something) would be on another planet, but they are not, we're all sharing the same atmosphere...

The US, China, and India have no intention of getting off fossil fuels. Even Canada which is a big emitter will be canceling the carbon tax and killing the fossil fuel production limits legislation. The good intentions of the Paris Accord to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees are long gone and we are well on our way to a 3 degree increase regardless of what we do. Kudos to the EU for actually making the effort but, as you say, the effects from countries not making the effort are felt worldwide.

There’s a website listing the areas in the world that have the best odds of surviving Climate change. The DR is not listed but Colorado is.

 

[Ecoman1949]

my question would what king of storage capacity do they have?

Bob. I’m guessing the battery storage systems used to store solar generated energy in the DR have limited capacity. California is the only place I know of that has developed high capacity battery storage systems to make solar energy generation much more viable. It’s a recent development and it could be years before the DR has that technology.

 

[bob saunders]

T

The US, China, and India have no intention of getting off fossil fuels. Even Canada which is a big emitter will be canceling the carbon tax and killing the fossil fuel production limits legislation. The good intentions of the Paris Accord to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees are long gone and we are well on our way to a 3 degree increase regardless of what we do. Kudos to the EU for actually making the effort but, as you say, the effects from countries not making the effort are felt worldwide.

There’s a website listing the areas in the world that have the best odds of surviving Climate change. The DR is not listed but Colorado is.

Not in yours or my lifetime, nor even our grandchildren's.

 

[josh2203]

T

The US, China, and India have no intention of getting off fossil fuels. Even Canada which is a big emitter will be canceling the carbon tax and killing the fossil fuel production limits legislation. The good intentions of the Paris Accord to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees are long gone and we are well on our way to a 3 degree increase regardless of what we do. Kudos to the EU for actually making the effort but, as you say, the effects from countries not making the effort are felt worldwide.

And there you go. Good for the US and Canada. The only result of this EU's effort I have seen is many families, us including, suffering from inflated energy bills and even from fear of actually heating our houses. It's insane and it's the wonderful politicians that are making these smart moves...

Speaking of Germany in particular, it's been on the news the past months that people are actually losing jobs and companies suffering due to electricity bills. Not because there is shortage but because the govt decided to charge more CO2 tax...

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

I would love to see the data to substantiate his claim. The problem is, it's probably not verifiable.

His claim was, that for a short time, 50% of the demand was met by renewable energy. He selected a moment in time. Later in the story it was mentioned that the next target was to supply 25% of the daily demand from renewable energy.

 

[windeguy]

Bob. I’m guessing the battery storage systems used to store solar generated energy in the DR have limited capacity. California is the only place I know of that has developed high capacity battery storage systems to make solar energy generation much more viable. It’s a recent development and it could be years before the DR has that technology.

Many many years if ever for significant battery storage.
When will the DR build its next fossil fuel generator?

Not in yours or my lifetime, nor even our grandchildren's.

I am not worried about climate change in the least. But that is just me. Most of the world using fossil fuels will not be getting off them any time soon. More plants using fossil fuels will be built. The Paris accords were never realizable, just puff piece agreements to make people feel good and generate crippling carbon credit laws.

The only solution to climate change will be mitigation. Move to Colorado , for example. A buddy of mine is about to sell his house there.

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

When will the DR build its next fossil fuel generator?

The next one is already under construction in Pepillo Salcedo. It's planned to come on line later this year.

 

[josh2203]

His claim was, that for a short time, 50% of the demand was met by renewable energy. He selected a moment in time. Later in the story it was mentioned that the next target was to supply 25% of the daily demand from renewable energy.

The thing is, that as far as I understand, no renewable energy source is stable such as practically any source of energy fired with fossil fuels. In my country, the supplement comes mainly from nuclear power. There is, I believe, a calculated max MW the renewable energy plants can produce which is also sometimes used to calculate how much of the electricity is produced as renewable, but those are capacity calculations, so what is possible. If there's no wind or it's very cloudy or it's the night time, you would be pretty far from the capacity...

 

[Father Guido]

This is one thing I really dislike as a European. There are parts in Europe where CO2 rules are in place and everything is expensive, at the same time, elsewhere in the world, there are huge countries that completely make the effort worthless in the sense that no matter how much CO2 is saved in Europe, other countries produce much much more. I'm all for green thinking but everything needs to be balanced and reasonable. Currently, I feel that in particular in Europe, this is not the case, but insanity. I can say this as I'm from one of the countries where drastic measures for CO2 neutrality are in place and consider it stupid in the drastic way it's sometimes done. And meanwhile elsewhere... Pollution pollution pollution... If these countries that pollute to the extreme (such as India or something) would be on another planet, but they are not, we're all sharing the same atmosphere...

I don't deny climate change, but since I'm a lot closer to the boneyard now, I just don't give a .........................

 

[CristoRey]

More energy?
More electricity?
Lol....
I'll believe it when I see it.