There's Plenty Of Sunlight To Be Harvested In Pavones, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of those countries that is leading the way in renewable energy istallation and production.  The country intends to become the first carbon-neutral country by the year 2021.  In 2008, oil contributed to only 8% of the country's total electrical power generation capacity.  Hydroelectric is the primary source of energy for the country, generating 81% of the total power generation.  Wind generated energy contributes the same amount as oil for the country- 8%.  Geothermal generated energy adds the remaining 3%, and solar currently contributes less than one-tenth of 1% of the nation's total generation capacity.  Despite the insignificance of solar power to the national power grid, the nation's aggressive position on carbon-neutrality assures changes in the law that will dramatically increase the relevance of alternative energy to the overall domestic power budget; solar power in particular.  More and more new residents to Costa Rica are finding that solar cells for independent electricity production is a viable option for those that have recently purchased land and are planning new construction; and places such as Pavones are prime for this type of solar-powered construction and sustainable, off-the-grid living.  

Pavones is a beach town way off of the beaten path in the far southwestern Pacific coast of Costa Rica near the border with Panama.  It's remote location and lack of public utilities means that if one were to build there, one would more or less have to build in the fashion described above.  There is already a few hotels and hostels there, mostly for the surfers, but the potential is unlimited for what can be done with sustainable off-the-grid and/or New Urbanist community development there.  The house in the photo is in Costa Rica, but not located in Pavones.  However, this is a good example of what can be accomplished there, as well as in most of the rest of this country or any other where there is ample amounts of sunlight year-round.  And Pavones definitely has that!  In fact, you might want to be using that solar generated electricity to run an air-conditioner first and foremost if you lived there.  Pavones is extremely sunny and hot year-round.  It is the epitomy of tropical beachside living.  The community experiment has already been well underway there since the first American surfers arrived in the 1960s.  If you visit there, the old-timers can tell you some pretty wild stories about the history of the development of the place.  The town already features a beautiful beach-front park space with roaming wild horses as you can see in one of my videos below.  All that Pavones needs, in my opinion, is quality sustainable development and residents to take it to the next level.  And who knows, maybe some day Pavones could become a model for sustainable New Urbanist beachside living.

Check out some videos that I made in Pavones, Costa Rica....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBFDZutK08U&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaHbvDel1K8&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f_OAGo2lh0&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPAiVsWZvTc&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBqPF5aeCRY&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKmvuptrQlM&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6XtBfBwAew&list=UU5jAtjRfbtiy4eeUBXLvqbA

Also see my other Blogs about places that are right for harvesting sunlight by clicking on Dylan's Blog below.

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