From Climate Action UNEP

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced plans to install a new solar energy plant on Barbuda.

The project is a joint venture between the country’s government, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) and PV Energy, and will generate around 229.9 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy per year.

The twin-island Caribbean country has committed to generate 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020.

Andre Matthias, Electricity Business Unit Manager of APUA, said: “Once again, the implementation of this significant renewable energy project emphasizes Antigua and Barbuda’s pioneering role in terms of becoming one of the greenest electricity sector in the whole of the Caribbean.”

The new solar plant will have an initial capacity of 150 kilowatt peak (kWp); the final goal is 1 megawatt peak (MWp).

The installation, which includes 600 photovoltaic modules, is expected to help avoid the emission of 160,860 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year.

The modules will cover an area of 2,000 square meters west of the island’s airport.

Matthias said: “The ground-mounted 150 kWp sun2live solar power generation solution on Barbuda will further minimize the government’s reliance on expensive and polluting fossil fuels. Additionally, PV Energy, the Ministry of Energy and the APUA will be working together to ensure that the necessary controls are installed with the 150 kWp PV system, thus ensuring that the solar system integrates into the power grid without compromising the stability and security of the network.”

He added: “As the solar penetration increases to the anticipated 1 MWp, batteries would be phased in to assist with maintaining a very stable power system in Barbuda”

It’s the latest green project for Antigua and Barbuda, which is among the region’s leading advocates for renewable energy.