‘Plan in place for energy systems’

Minister of Energy Senator Lisa Cummins has declared a significant breakthrough in the integration of renewable energy into Barbados’ electricity grid.

Speaking at the closing of a three-day procurement workshop held at the Baobab Towers, Warrens, St Michael, on Tuesday, Cummins announced that the long-standing bottleneck of renewable energy investors waiting to connect to the grid would soon be a thing of the past.

In recent months, Barbados has faced significant challenges in integrating renewable energy sources into its national grid. The island’s ambitious goals for sustainable energy have often been hampered by the lack of adequate energy storage solutions, leading to grid instability and frequent blackouts. Investors in solar and wind energy projects have been frustrated by delays and the complex process of connecting to the grid, often being told to purchase their own batteries, which posed additional financial burdens.

Addressing the attendees, Cummins explained that a comprehensive procurement plan was in place to bring much-needed battery storage to the island later this year. She emphasised the extensive technical work that had been conducted to ensure the efficient deployment of these systems.

“They have looked at every feeder, where the transmission lines are. They’ve looked at where the substations are located and they’ve mapped that and overlaid that with where projects for PV are located,” Cummins said.

“We now are in a position where, based on their guidance and their very extensive technical work, we can identify where across the country we need to deploy battery energy storage systems to relieve congestion and minimise blackouts,” she added.

Cummins highlighted the detailed work done by the team, which has enabled them to pinpoint the optimal locations for battery storage systems. These systems will address the licences already issued and those pending in the queue, promising to alleviate the frustrations of many waiting investors.

“We understand the challenges faced by those waiting to connect their PV projects to the grid,” she acknowledged. “The work is underway, and we’re closer now than ever before to getting the first battery energy storage system operational.”

The minister praised the collaboration with international experts who have provided invaluable advice and technical support. She also addressed concerns about the initial requirement for investors to purchase their own batteries, noting that while this remained an option, the deployment of national battery energy storage systems would create grid stability and unlock connections for the first batch of licences.

“This is only the first batch of procurement. We will have subsequent procurement rounds and we invite Barbadians to participate, whether in large-scale storage projects or smaller initiatives based on their financial capacity,” she said.

The minister concluded her remarks with a call to action for all stakeholders to engage in the opportunities presented by the new procurement plan.

“We want to say to Barbadians waiting in the queue, the work is underway. We are closer now than we’ve ever been before to getting the first battery energy storage system. This initiative paves the way for a more stable and sustainable energy future for Barbados,” she said. (CLM)

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