Pioneer Of Geothermal
Energy in Guanacaste
Honoured
(Infocom) - Dr. Alfredo
Mainieri, one of the
pioneers of electricity
generation from
geothermal sources in
Costa Rica, has been
recognized for his
contributions to energy
security.
Back in 1974, the Costa
Rican Electricity
Institute (ICE) charged
Mainieri with the tasks
of finding places in the
country that would meet
the requirements for
generating energy by
harnessing the Earth’s
internal heat.
Such endeavor led to the
Miravalles Geothermal
Field in Guayabo de
Bagaces, Guanacaste,
which consists of five
plants that produce
nearly 14 percent of the
National Electrical
System’s (SEN) capacity.
A career geologist,
Mainieri said that the
1974 project meant not
only his moving from San
Jose to Guanacaste, but
also a big challenge
that ended up bearing
important fruit for the
SEN in the past few
years.
An ICE employee for the
past 39 years, Mainieri
now leads the government
agency’s Geothermal
Resources Division, is
an international
consultant on
exploration and
exploitation of this
type of energy, and is a
specialist on Italy.
Mainieri’s studies
related to geothermal
power began in 1975,
when he and a group of
ICE experts developed
what was first called
the Guanacaste
Geothermal Project,
capturing abundant
natural heat produced by
the Miravalles Volcano.
Later on, the group
conducted feasibility
studies that permitted
the construction of the
existing geothermal
plants. The first of the
group, Miravalles I,
began operating in 1994.
While his colleagues
describe him as a
visionary individual who
has devoted his life to
finding renewable and
clean sources of energy
for Costa Rica’s
benefit, Mainieri
believes that
“Miravalles is still in
operation fundamentally
because there’s a group
of capable people who
work in its evolution
and control.”
Mainieri’s contributions
were highlighted by the
Costa Rican Geologists
Association. At a
meeting of the board of
directors of this
professional
organization, its
president, Enid Gamboa,
gave Mainieri a plaque
that recognizes him as
“Emeritus Member” of the
association, of which he
is a founding and active
member since 1973.
Gamboa pointed out the
commitment, talent and
love for geothermal
science that Mainieri
has shown during the
past 35 years. “The
tenacity, consistency
and scientific work of
Don Alfredo fills us
with great pride, and
it’s even a bigger honor
that you are a part of
our organization,”
Gamboa said.
Upon receiving this
recognition, Mainieri
thanked the
association’s board of
directors, and said he
accepted such
distinction on behalf of
all the ICE
professionals who have
contributed to the
development of
geothermal science in
Costa Rica.
At 65, Mainieri is still
leading teams that
conduct studies to find
new sites for
development of
additional geothermal
projects. Las Pailas and
Boriquen, located on the
Rincon de la Vieja
Volcano in Guanacaste,
are two sites that, when
operations, would
significantly increase
the production of this
clean energy that has
powered the long career
of Alfredo Mainieri. |
