News of the agreement came as Costa Rican and Chinese officials reached consensus Friday on how to move forward with the $1.5 billion project after the Comptroller General’s Office canceled the previous project over a conflict of interest in 2013.
Andrew thinks Costa Rica's Guanacaste region is ideal for growing pongamia, thanks to the northwestern province's hot, dry climate. Parts of Guatemala, a leading producer of palm oil, also are well suited to the leguminous tree, which requires less water and fertilizer than other crops, she said.
Small-scale energy production, such as solar panels, saw a regulatory hurdle removed that could help combat late-dry season energy rationing and reduce the country’s reliance on petroleum. The country’s electricity regulator, the Public Services Regulatory Authority, announced a series of changes on Wednesday.
