The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to the Petroleum Corp. of Jamaica (PCJ) to support the development of an offshore wind farm in the country. Keystone Engineering Inc. (KEI), a Louisiana-based energy firm, will conduct a feasibility study to explore the viability for offshore wind in Jamaica. KEI designed the first offshore wind farm in the U.S., the 30 MW Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island. An offshore wind farm in Jamaica will offer the opportunity for US exports for the project, including U.S. equipment and services needed for the design, development, and operation of the project.
“We are pleased to partner with PCJ and KEI on this important project,” comments Nathan Younge, USTDA’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “The study will help to develop new energy resources and create potential commercial opportunities for U.S. technologies in Jamaica.”
“The government of Jamaica has identified renewable energy development as a major pillar in its strategy for energy security,” adds Winston Watson, group general manager of the PCJ. “This study will help the PCJ to get valuable data that can attract overseas investment for the development of our offshore wind resources, and we look forward to a fruitful partnership with USTDA and with KEI.”
