While many Caribbean countries acknowledge that reducing energy costs will help the region’s economy improve, governments face competing priorities, making the investment in renewables will benefit the economy in the long-run, coming up with the funding for these projects is a challenge. A study produced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), “Caribbean Energy: Macro Related Challenges,” highlights […]
St. Lucia’s Prime Minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, announced this week that a 12 MW wind far is on the horizon for the island nation. Once completed, the project could produce as much as 20% of St. Lucia’s electricity needs.
IRENA, under the umbrella of the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative, aims to facilitate the financing of energy storage in island systems. For this purpose, a paper “Financing Storage for Islanded Renewable Energy Systems”, highlighting the difficulties and potential solutions to the securing of financing for energy storage projects in remote areas and islands, has been prepared. […]
Construction of a 45 MW solar plant in Puerto Rico began last week. Once completed, the solar farm will generate 125,000 MW annually. Led by Oriana Energy, a partnership of two US energy firms, the project will cost $160 million to complete.
In response to Jamaica’s RFP for 37 MW of renewable energy capacity, Jamaica’s office of Utilities Regulation received 10 bids. The RFP requested proposals for solar, wind, waste-to-energy and other renewable projects that can be operated on a build, own and operate basis.
The French company Engie has won a 40 MW solar project in Peru. This project was awarded in the fourth round of tenders for renewable energy in Peru. Installation of the array will be completed by 2017.
Jamaica aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 million metric tons of C02 per year by 2030. These figures were released in the country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change following the COP21 talks in Paris.
The recently inaugurated 3MW solar system at the Antiguan airport includes an energy storage system. Meeco is the UK-based company that installed the energy storage system, called sun2safe. The system will allow for energy harnessed during the day to be stored and used during the evening.
Despite a decrease in dependence on fossil fuels and an increase in access to electric power in Central America, progress in the region varies dramatically from country to country. Diego Fernández, researcher at the State of the Region Programme (PER) of the Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE). says that between 2000 and 2013, average electrification rates […]