Solar Plant To Be Constructed At Mangrove

• Published date: 24 May 2022
• Subject Matter: Energy and Natural Resources, Energy Law, Oil, Gas & Electricity, Renewables
• Law Firm: Invest Barbados
• Author: Invest Barbados

Barbados' transition to renewable energy is expected to be boosted by the construction of a $25 million 10 megawatt solar plant, within a year, at Mangrove, St. Philip.

And, officials from the Barbados Workers' Union, Barbados National Oil Company Limited, and Emera Caribbean signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Thursday, to bring the plant to fruition. It will be on 32-acres of land at the BWU's Mangrove, St. Philip property.

Minister of Energy and Business Development, Kerrie Symmonds, underscored the importance of the project, and described the joint venture as "unprecedented".

He expressed the view that the partnership would go down in history as a model for investment, as he stressed the significance of labour being a part of this new commercial space.

Speaking before the signing of the MOU, at the BWU's Solidarity House Auditorium, Mr. Symmonds continued: "This is going to be expenditure that we anticipate to go in the vicinity of $25 million. It is vitally important for us to recognise that the journey that we're now on aligns completely with that which the Government of Barbados has sought to articulate in its National Energy Policy. The National Energy Policy is very clear that we want to democratise the energy sector in Barbados."

He said battery storage was key with regard to this project, and disclosed that he had discussions in this area as recently as Thursday morning.

"This project anticipates battery storage. I say to the public, that it is not only about PV (photovoltaics), it must also be about wind investment, and it will also be about the battery storage which assists us in making sure that we have a stable grid," he explained.

Mr. Symmonds proffered the view that renewable energy technology must be accessed by Barbadians of all walks of life, saying that in some countries, there was a technological divide.

General Secretary of the BWU, Toni Moore, said in 2018, the union's executive council embarked on a plan to use the 32...