Puerto Rico: Transparency and the Importance of an Independent Regulator

April 11, 2018

    Guest Editorial written by Tomás J. Torres Placa, Executive Director of the Institute of Competitiveness and Economic Sustainability Puerto Rico finds itself at a critical juncture in its history. The island has an unprecedented opportunity to transform its electric system by integrating more diverse and renewable generation sources and creating a competitive and […]

Operations begin at 5.5 MW solar farm in Cuba

April 11, 2018

Following the inauguration of the first solar park in the Cuban province of Ciego de Ávila – a 4.4 MW farm which begun operations in January – a second plant has begun operations. The 5.5 MW plant, located in the municipality of Chambas, was synchronized to the SEN at the beginning of February and contributes […]

Bolivia’s Laguna Colorada geothermal project will start drilling in 2019

April 11, 2018

The 100 MW Laguna Colorada geothermal project will begin drilling in 2019, according to reports. Following 70+ studies to establish resource potential and set development targets, the resource is estimated to be as high as 250 MW. The national energy company, ENDE, led the studies and conducted well tests in technical partnership with Japan. An […]

Bahamas to scale up solar energy with 3MW solar park

April 9, 2018

The Bahamas is getting a 3 MW solar park next year, with construction slated to begin this summer. The Grand Bahama Power Company’s first utility-scale solar energy project will be built on 11 acres of industrial land near its generation plant on West Sunrise Highway. The $5 million project is expected to be commissioned in […]

$2.5m initiative will bring 100+ microgrids to Puerto Rico

April 6, 2018

Resilient Power Puerto Rico (RPPR), a solar power initiative formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, launched a $2.5 million outreach initiative to bring electricity – primarily via microgrids – to 100 community centers throughout Puerto Rico, some of which are still without power nearly six months after the hurricane. The RPPR are storm resilient […]

Jamaican factory economizes with solar PV and efficiency

April 6, 2018

Jamaican seafood trader Rainforest is doubling solar energy capacity at its plant in Montego Bay, from 0.5 megawatt to one megawatt, at a cost of $75 million. Following this project, solar PV panels will cover all of Rainforest’s primary operating and administrative buildings. The first project cost approximately $1.65/watt, but is now less than $1.00. […]

Webinar: Puerto Rico – Rebuilding the Grid

From our Editorial Team

April 5, 2018

To set the stage for the 1st Puerto Rico Grid Revitalization & Investment Forum held on May 8-9, we hosted a webinar on Wednesday April 4. Webinar topics included: — The grid: where are we today and what are the big short-term needs? — How successfully are federal agencies mobilizing support for recovery and revitalization? […]

St. Vincent restructures geothermal project, timeline to reset

April 5, 2018

The geothermal project on St. Vincent and the Grenadines has had an ownership shake-up, with a positive result for the citizens of St. Vincent. After renegotiations, the government will now own a 49 percent stake in the geothermal plant, and the developers – Emera and Reykjavik Geothermal (originally with a 75 percent share) will own […]

USVI at PR-GRID: VIWAPA, Governor’s Office & PSC Confirmed

April 3, 2018

Elmo Roebuck, Director of Energy in the Office of the Governor, and Raymond Williams, Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) of the USVI, have confirmed they will speak at PR-GRID. Joining them at PR-GRID will be a delegation from VIWAPA. Niel Vanterpool, Director of Transmission & Distribution, will participate on the agenda. The USVI […]