April 5, 2010

Argentine Ser Beef starts US$1.5-million hydropower plant

Argentine agricultural and livestock company Ser Beef recently launched a US$1.5-million mini hydropower plant (HPP) to supply its operations in Argentina's central province of San Luis.

The run-of-the-river plant will supply one third of the company's electricity demand with water from the Paso de las Carretas reservoir, located near the provincial capital of San Luis.

Most of the electricity consumed by Ser Beef is used for the irrigation of 9,000 hectares (22,240 acres) of land. The company owns 45,000 hectares in the province, produces 65,000 tonnes of grains a year and fattens 90,000 head of cattle.

The completion of the hydroelectric plant took eight months. It allows the company to obtain credits for avoided greenhouse emissions under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Ser Beef has transferred the rights over the credits to the San Luis province.