Benefits of solar energy on display at 2-day San José expo

Members of the Costa Rican Association of Solar Energy (ACESOLAR) will showcase the benefits of solar energy at the second annual Exposolar 2015 fair, held Nov. 20-21 at San José’s Antigua Aduana.

Exhibitors will present available technology, products and services, as well as the organizations that currently belong to the solar energy sector in Costa Rica.

Participating companies have prepared a series of lectures and workshops on the advances of solar technologies, financing alternatives, available options and regulations in Costa Rica, as well as how to take advantage of solar energy in homes and businesses.

ACESOLAR data show that Costa Rica in one sunny day receives up to 20 times the energy needed to meet electricity demands for its entire population for a full year year.

Currently just over 600 people are directly working in the solar energy sector in Costa Rica, and approximately 50 companies offer services and products ranging from water heaters, generators for domestic consumption and alternatives to turn a company into a self-sufficient business in terms of energy.

A solar panel currently has a lifespan of up to 25 years, but with appropiate care it can last longer, “which is why the use of solar energy is an increasing trend,” the association stated in a news release.

The fair will be open to the public from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 21. Admission is free.

Related: Pioneering Costa Rica’s solar push in the Central Valley: Alajuela’s Llobet and Sons