News Digest
Costa Rica generates almost 100% renewable energy in 2016
Available online 24 May 2017.
For 271 days of 2016, Costa Rica ran on 100% renewable electricity and, for the second consecutive year, surpassed 98% of generation with five clean sources in the year.
According to preliminary data from the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), between January 1 and December 31, Costa Rica produced 10,778.32 gigawatt hours (GWh), of which 98.21% came from renewable sources, a percentage similar to that of 2015, when Reached 98.99%.
The numbers stand out in two years with particular characteristics: 2015 was strongly affected by the El Niño phenomenon, while 2016 had low rainfall throughout the country during most of the year.
The optimization of the medium and large storage reservoirs of the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity has been fundamental to maintain these percentages.
After 17th June of last year fossil fuels were used just once for electricity generation. The biggest renewable contributor in 2016 was hydroelectric plants, which accounted for 74 of the country's total electricity needs. Following this, 12% of Costa Rica's energy needs were met by geothermal power, while wind accounted for 10%.
ICE have stated their hopes for Costa Rica to reach carbon neutrality by 2021. The president of the company, Carlos Manuel Obregó, has said the institute expects renewable power generation to stay “stable” throughout 2017, with four new wind farms being introduced and a forecast of favorable hydro-meteorological conditions near the nation's hydropower plants.
Wind farm in Costa Rica (image courtesy of Jiri Stoklaska via Shutterstock).
Call of EU battery manufacturers to develop a ‘Battery Strategy for Europe’
EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers, has published a call for the development of a ‘2030 Battery Strategy for Europe’.
The Association claims that batteries are at the very heart of the shift towards a decarbonized society, enabling energy storage of renewables, energy efficiency and hybridization and electrification of transports. Such a strategy, says EUROBAT, would lead to more coherence between the several EU policies in the field of energy, transport and environment.
For Europe as a whole, it is important to enable the future of its entire battery sector and ensure coherence between EU, regional and national policy initiatives, states EUROBAT. In particular, keeping and expanding the manufacturing base of all battery technologies in Europe will be of great importance for the industrial development of the European Union.
A variety of battery technologies exists today and they each answer to different demands in terms of performance, capabilities and applications they are central to solving the issues faced by the challenges of climate change and energy dependence, says the Association.
With this initiative, EUROBAT asks European policy makers to cooperate with all stakeholders, including manufacturers, suppliers, value chain partners, users and civil society, to develop a ‘2030 Battery Strategy for Europe’ that can provide assurance for the long-term investment planning by battery manufacturers and the supply chain in Europe. According to EUROBAT, such overall strategic EU policy framework could provide business certainty for European battery manufacturers, create new opportunities for all battery technologies and deliver jobs, growth and innovation in Europe.
The full call to action can be read here.
Official report highlights potential of tidal lagoon technology
RenewableUK is welcoming a review of the benefits of tidal lagoon energy. The study was commissioned by the Government, and carried out by the former Energy Minister Charles Hendry.
Hendry said tidal lagoon technology can deliver a secure supply of energy for a price that's competitive in the long term, stating the equivalent of the cost of a pint of milk per household per year. He added that tidal power is a completely predictable source of energy.
The review is significant for Tidal Lagoon Power. The company secured planning consent in 2015 to build the world's first tidal lagoon power plant in Swansea Bay. This 320 megawatt (MW) project will generate enough power to meet the annual needs of 155,000 homes.
The company aims to begin construction within a year of getting a final green light after the successful conclusion of negotiations with Government. It is the first project of its kind in the world, marking the start of a whole new industrial sector. We can expect to see significant cost reductions as each further project is built.
Tidal lagoon technology could be a cheap and reliable source of renewable energy, according to former Energy Minister Charles Hendry. Pictured: rendition of the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon.
RenewableUK's Chief Executive Hugh McNeal said: “It's great to have this ringing endorsement of innovative technology and modern industry. The world's first tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay can provide power for our national energy needs and create local jobs for decades to come. Government should finalise negotiations so that work can start on this important infrastructure project as soon as possible.
This is a new growth sector with huge potential to bring industrial-scale economic opportunities to the UK. Each new tidal lagoon will drive down costs due to economies of scale, benefitting consumers, as well as strengthening the security of our energy supply.
“The UK's future energy mix will be powered by a broad range of low carbon technologies which can be delivered by British companies. This means investing today in new sources for tomorrow – including marine energy technologies such as wave, tidal stream, and tidal lagoons”.
The full review can be read here.
E.ON to participate in European smart grid project InterFlex
E.ON has joined the European smart grid project InterFlex that aims to explore new ways of using various forms of flexibilities to optimize electric power systems on a local scale.
The project, which is part of the biggest EU Research and Innovation program, Horizon 2020, will run for three years. During this time, 20 project partners will investigate the interactions between flexibilities provided by energy market players and the distribution grid, with a particular focus on energy storage, smart charging of electric vehicles, demand response, islanding, grid automation and the integration of different energy carriers (gas, heat, electricity).
The three regional demonstrators run by E.ON will be located in Germany and Sweden. The German demonstrator will be implemented by Avacon, a German grid operator belonging to the E.ON group. Avacon, located in Lower-Saxony, will manage a centralized platform of flexibilities and distributed energy resources in a rural area between Helmstedt and Salzgitter to use energy where it is generated in order to relieve the distribution grid.
The first Swedish demonstrator of E.ON Sverige is located in Malmö. It investigates energy carrier integration using the heat inertia of buildings as a flexibility measure to achieve a more optimized and environmentally friendly production in a distributed energy system.
A second Swedish demonstrator of E.ON Sverige, based in the Skåne region (Southern Sweden), is exploring ways of operating part of the distribution grid on a stand-alone basis (islanding), supported by the client through a “peer to peer” approach, while assessing the benefit of advanced control of local energy systems for the DSO.
The project findings will allow the consortium members to replicate the demonstrated solutions and business models. The results are to provide an incentive for other services providers or investors to test and replicate the developed business models to further develop advanced monitoring, local energy control and flexibility services at EU level.
New IRENA report details how renewables can decarbonise the energy sector and improve the lives of billions
IRENA has released its third edition of REthinking Energy, outlining key developments in the global renewable energy industry.
Falling costs, driven by innovation in technology and policy, is spurring renewable energy deployment and with it a myriad of socioeconomic benefits, according to the new comprehensive publication released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). REthinking Energy, now in its third edition, was released last week at IRENA's seventh Assembly, the Agency's ultimate decision-making authority.
“Renewables are gaining ground by nearly every measure. Accelerating the pace of the energy transition and expanding its scope beyond the power sector will not only reduce carbon emissions, it will improve lives, create jobs, achieve development goals, and ensure a cleaner and more prosperous future,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin.
The publication highlights how global investment in renewables has steadily grown for more than a decade, rising from less than US $50 billion in 2004 to a record US $305 billion in 2015. Despite this enormous growth, current investment and deployment levels are making headway to meet international carbon reduction targets.
“As we advance deeper into a new energy paradigm, we need to pick-up the pace of our decarbonisation efforts. Policies and regulations continue to remain crucial to this end and to develop the renewables market,” explained Mr. Amin. “We are seeing more and more countries hold auctions to deploy renewables, and as variable and distributed sources of renewables take-on a greater role, regulators have implemented changes to enable grid integration at scale. Heating and cooling, and the potential of renewables for transport, are areas where future efforts are needed.”
The publication provides insights on the innovations, policy and finance driving further investment in sustainable energy system, including that:
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- Renewable energy auctions are gaining popularity in developed and developing countries, generating record-breaking low energy prices;
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- Demand for battery storage is increasing rapidly and playing a larger part in integrating variable renewables;
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- New capital-market instruments are helping increase available finance by offering new groups of investors access to investment opportunities;
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- Institutional investors are moving into renewable energy as it offers stable returns over the long term;
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- New business models promise new ways to finance renewable energy.
Global solar PV will grow the fastest in terms of capacity and output in 2017, according to the IRENA report (image courtesy of Shutterstock).
The publication states that solar PV will grow the fastest in terms of capacity and output, and new ways to store electricity will be a game changer for growing variable renewable energy generation. IRENA estimates that battery storage for electricity could increase from less than 1 GW today to 250 GW by 2030.
Off-grid renewables provide electricity to an estimated 90 million people worldwide, and enable people to climb the energy ladder. They are cost-effective and can be installed in modular fashion, linked to grid extension plans. REthinking Energy describes how off-grid solutions can provide modern energy access to hundreds of millions of more people and achieve development goals.
“Achieving universal electricity access by 2030, will require us to boost global power generation—nearly 60 per cent of that will have to come from stand-alone and mini-grid solutions,” said Mr. Amin. “Meeting this aim with off-grid renewables depends on the right combination of policies, financing, technology and institutional capacity. Making needed changes and accelerating deployment will allow countries to address global issues in sustainability, education, gender equality, health, water and food.”
Sunamp and Glasgow University win £2m collaborative project with China to tackle sustainable energy challenge
Sunamp has led a successful funding bid jointly with Glasgow University and partners in China to boost the performance of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants that use clean, although intermittent, renewable heat sources for distributed heat and power supply in China.
By integrating Sunamp's heat storage technologies with the ORC, according to the company it is possible to produce a more dependable distributed heat and power supply using a wide range of renewable heat sources, such as solar energy.
ORC has the same working principle as a steam power cycle, except it uses organic compounds with low boiling points as working fluids. It is believed to be among the most promising technologies to use sources of renewable heat and cut pollution generated by fossil fuels, and it perfectly fits the needs of a country like China, still mainly relying on coal for its heat and power needs, but with big plans to increase penetration of renewables.
The joint project has been awarded £2M funding from the China-UK Research and Innovation Bridges programme, a joint UK China initiative under the Newton Funddeveloping cutting edge solutions for agri-food, energy, healthcare, and urbanisation. At £21M it is largest ever bilateral call between UK and China. In addition, UK partners have contributed £182,000 towards project costs and Chinese partners contributed a further £577,000.
The research consortium comprises Sunamp Ltd and University of Glasgow in the UK, and Chinese project lead Beijing University of Technology (BJUT) along with business partner China Investment Yixing Red Sun Solar Energy Technology Company (CIYR), a medium sized SME focusing on solar thermal power generation technologies.
Andrew Bissell, Sunamp founder and CEO, said: “To overcome the intermittency of solar energy, Sunamp heat batteries will be integrated with ORC power plants to store heat energy for power generation when the sun doesn’t shine. This funding award allows us to bring together complementary expertise of the project partners in the UK and China to address the remaining technical challenges ready for commercial roll out.”
Academic leader Dr Zhibin Yu from the University of Glasgow's School of Engineering said: “We’re pleased to be working on this exciting project with Sunamp, Beijing University of Technology and China Investment Yixing Red Sun Solar Energy Technology Company.
“The Rankine Cycle is named after the University of Glasgow pioneer Professor William Rankine FRS (1820–1872), so it's particularly fitting that the University of Glasgow is contributing to this project. Building upon on-going research on ORC power generation technologies at the School, this exciting project will facilitate knowledge transfer, delivering real impacts to the world.”
New renewable energy projects point to biggest year for industry in Australia in 50 years
More than 20 large renewable energy projects are either already under construction or will start this year, delivering an unprecedented program of works which will create almost 3000 direct jobs and generate more than $5 billion of investment, according to new analysis from the Clean Energy Council.
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton said more than 2250 MW of new large-scale renewable energy would be under construction in 2017, the most since the Snowy Hydro Scheme more than 50 years ago – one of the most iconic nation-building projects in Australian history.
“We are set for a huge 2017, with more than 20 major projects either actively under construction or which have secured funding and will go to construction this year,” Mr Thornton said.
“This investment is occurring due to the extraordinary cost reductions achieved in renewable energy, underpinned by the bipartisan political support for the 2020 Renewable Energy Target (RET), the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and various initiatives of state and territory governments.
2017 will see the larges push towards renewables in Australia since the Snowy Hydro project pictured here (image courtesy of Shutterstock).
“Given the nature of renewable energy projects, regional parts of the country will benefit from many of these job opportunities, while the projects will provide flow-on benefits to the many different businesses involved. This new wind and solar power will help our system cope during periods where everyone is using lots of electricity. As we saw in New South Wales during the heatwaves a few days ago, every generator counts when the heat is on,” he said.
The figures show Queensland and New South Wales will benefit strongly this year from wind and large-scale solar, with projects also firing up in South Australia and Victoria. State and territory governments have been instrumental in bringing much of this investment forward and restoring confidence to the sector.
Mr Thornton said investors are flocking back to the renewable energy sector following several years of destabilisation under the Abbott Government. “Investment confidence has rebounded and our economy is set to reap the benefits through a massive increase in activity between now and the end of the decade,” he said.
“Renewable energy is now the cheapest type of new energy generation that it is possible to build today, we have a strong program of works, and Australians are very much on board with the transition of our energy sector to one which is smarter and cleaner,” Thornton states. “However, clarity on long-term energy policy and support for renewable energy beyond 2020 will be essential to ensure these levels of investment are sustained.”
The full list of projects is available on the Clean Energy Council website.
South East Europe has vast renewable potential worth 740 GW, IRENA report finds
A new comprehensive study from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reveals the enormous potential of renewable energy in the South East Europe (SEE) region.
The report, Cost-Competitive Renewable Power Generation: Potential across South East Europe, was released at a high-level meeting preceding the opening of the seventh session of IRENA's Assembly, which gathered policymakers from SEE and key regional stakeholders, to discuss the opportunities and challenges in expanding the share of renewable energy in SEE. Detailed outcomes from the meeting were then presented in a communiqué.
The report underscores that SEE possesses vast technical renewable energy potential – equal to some 740 GW. The region's wind energy (532 GW) and solar PV (120 GW) potential is largely untapped, and 127 GW of this overall renewable energy potential could be implemented in a cost-competitive way today. The report says this figure could rise further, to above 290 GW, if more favourable cost of capital is considered for the region.
“The region's case for renewables is strong, particularly for solar and wind. Harnessing these resources will result in affordable energy, job creation, improved air quality, and a means to meet international commitments,” said IRENADirector-General Adnan Z. Amin. “Solar and wind energy are now viable power supply options and the region is well poised to further scale-up its power systems sustainably.”
“IRENA is prepared to continue supporting governments across SEE to harness untapped renewable energy potential and accelerate their deployment,” added Mr. Amin. “Discussions at today's meeting helped to identify the potential areas where IRENA can offer most added value and best assist countries in addressing the key obstacles hindering greater renewables deployment.”
The report provides useful guidance for decision-makers in the SEE region seeking to scale-up renewables, in line with new long-term EU renewable energy target aimed at driving future economic growth.
“The European Commission commends IRENA for scaling up its engagement in South East Europe,” said Dominique Ristori, Director General for Energy, European Commission. “This report will be a valuable contribution for policymakers in SEE to follow the EU's goals to promote renewables.”
Increasing deployment and continued technological innovation have led to sharp cost reductions and improved cost-effectiveness, particularly for solar PV and wind energy. IRENA's report shows that almost the entire potential of solar PV and wind energy in SEE, can be cost-competitively deployed by 2030. The broader macroeconomic impact of renewable energy deployment, along with notable socio-economic benefits, such as creating employment, developing local manufacturing capacity, avoiding health and environmental costs, and addressing climate change.
“I am strongly convinced that a close collaboration of IRENA and other key regional stakeholders will significantly contribute to our ongoing efforts in better harnessing the renewable energy potential currently largely untapped”, added Mr. Mirko Šarovic, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The meeting was held one day before the opening of the seventh IRENA Assembly, when global energy leaders from more than 150 countries will gather to discuss IRENA's strategic and programmatic direction to help countries accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, and in doing so, meet climate goals, boost the economy, and increase energy access and security.
Siemens to build EnBW Hohe See as first offshore wind project with extended scope
Siemens Wind Power will, for the first time, provide complete offshore wind power plant solutions including foundations for the EnBW Hohe See offshore wind project.
Hohe See owner EnBW has now made a final investment decision for its 497 megawatts offshore wind power plant. Starting in early 2018 the large wind park will be installed at a site 90 kilometers north of the German island Borkum in the North Sea at water depths of up to 40 meters.
The 71 wind turbines of the type SWT-7.0-154 rated at 7 megawatts each will be manufactured at Siemens’ new nacelle plant in Cuxhaven beginning in mid-2018 and will be shipped to the project harbor in early 2019. Commissioning is planned for the third quarter of 2019. The wind power plant will generate enough power to supply 560,000 households with clean renewable energy.
Siemens will install 71 units of its turbine type SWT-7.0-154, rated at 7 megawatts and with a rotor diameter of 154 meters (image courtesy of Siemens).
In 2016 Siemens began with the development of project-specific solutions for the foundations of EnBW Hohe See wind power plant with a preliminary project. The result was the development of a large monopile design with a length of up to 80 meters and a weight of up to 1,500 tons to anchor the wind turbines solidly into the sea bed.
For EnBW Hohe See, Siemens is partnering with logistics specialist GeoSea. The company of the Deme Group will also deliver the foundations including monopiles and transition pieces. With its extended scope Siemens helped to mitigate risk-exposure to the investors significantly. The integrated design and installation approach together with the complete solution including turbines, towers, TPs and foundations provides investors with maximum security and confidence regarding the financing and completion of this project.
“We are happy to apply our full scope of engineering services at EnBW Hohe See offshore wind project,” states Michael Hannibal, Offshore CEO at Siemens Wind Power. “The extended scope makes this 497-megawatt wind power plant one of the largest projects that we have ever executed.”
After commissioning, Siemens will perform service and maintenance for a period of at least five years. Grid connection will be established via the “BorWin 3” high-voltage DC link and “BorWin Gamma” converter platform to be installed by Siemens for grid operator Tennet.
IEA releases new report on renewable energy landscape in New Zealand
According to the International Energy Agency's latest study of New Zealand's energy policies, the past decade has seen New Zealand's growing energy needs outpacing improvements in energy efficiency, mainly because of the country's expanding economy and growing population.
A recent report released by the IEA, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: New Zealand 2017 Review, points out that staying competitive in industry, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions outside of the power generation remains a technology and policy challenge for the country. However, the report also praises New Zealand on its unique resource base, calling it a ‘success story’ for the development of renewable energy, especially in the areas of hydro and geothermal, without government subsidies.
New Zealand has set ambitious goals to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. To be in line with the Paris Agreement, it will have to adopt policies supporting the energy system transformation, encouraging greater energy efficiency, electrified transport and expanding renewable energy in the buildings, heat and industry sectors. However, the IEA commends New Zealand for its new initiatives, the electric vehicle program and the update to the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.
“Government policies, including targets and standards, are needed to open up the potential of energy efficiency in industrial heat, buildings and transport. Strong standards and policies will guide technology innovation and growth,” Dr. Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director said when presenting the report today. “New Zealand is a world-class success story for renewables and has excellent opportunities for using even more renewable energy in heat, but also in power supply and for the electrification of transport.”
New Zealand serves as a model for effective energy markets and secure power system operation, says IEA. But the IEA report shows that security of supply cannot be taken for granted, and can be strengthened through a strategic reserve auction. The country's unique hydro-based power system brings challenges for maintaining physical security of supply. A purely market-based system may not provide a timely or fully effective response to low water levels at all times.
Security of supply will also be strengthened by boosting investment in the country's large oil and gas resource base, says the report. The role of gas has grown in the residential sector, in power generation, and industry. However, New Zealand is not connected to the global LNG markets and lacks long-term visibility for natural gas demand and supply.
The IEA approves of New Zealand's electricity and gas market reforms and encourages the market regulators to continue on this path. As the energy sector becomes more decentralized and local, with greater shares of wind, solar, battery storage and electric vehicles, the IEA recommends that the government should ensure that consumers and market participants are encouraged to build a smart system. The widespread deployment of smart metering and the emergence of new technologies in New Zealand provide opportunities for more efficient, innovative and competitive electricity retail and distribution.
New Zealand has a strong output of hydro energy. Pictured: Lake Benmore hydroelectric dam, New Zealand (image courtesy of Shutterstock).
UK government to study role of hydrogen and fuel cells in holistic energy system
The UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association has secured a dedicated inquiry into the role of hydrogen and fuel cells in a holistic energy system, by the Science and Technology Committee of the UK Parliament.
The Science and Technology Committee – comprising Members of Parliament from the various parties – recently received more than 70 ideas for new inquiries through its ‘My Science Inquiry’ Open Call, and selected nine for further consideration. These nine participated in a Dragons’ Den style pitch process on 1 February, from which ‘the role for hydrogen and fuel cells in a holistic energy system’ was selected as the subject of an Inquiry to be launched later this year.
‘We have been campaigning on the importance of hydrogen and fuel cells as innovative cross-sector solutions with a range of stakeholders, and are delighted that the role of hydrogen and fuel cells in a holistic energy system has been selected amongst numerous proposals for an Inquiry,’ says Amanda Lyne, chair of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA).
‘This inquiry will give the UK hydrogen and fuel cell industry and others the opportunity to demonstrate the potential for these innovative solutions to decarbonise the heat, power and transport sectors in a cost-efficient way, and in parallel, will explore how the Government's approach can be better coordinated to deliver optimal outcomes,’ she continues. ‘We look forward to working closely with the Committee and the Government on next steps.’
The UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA) is engaging with national policy makers and the political community to enhance the prospects for fuel cells and hydrogen in the UK, and working to accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies.
Its members include the leading UK fuel cell and hydrogen companies, as well as organisations from the academic community and a range of other stakeholders with an interest in these clean energy solutions and the associated elements of the supply chain.
Global photovoltaic milestone reached
The German Solar Association in Berlin has announced a new milestone has been reached with 300 gigawatts of total installed solar power capacity around the world.
In 2016 there was a global deployment of solar power systems with an additional nominal capacity of around 70 gigawatts. That amounts to a jump of around 30% in new deployment compared to the previous year 2015. The photovoltaic systems installed in 2016 alone generate around 90 terawatt hours of clean solar power. In mathematical terms, this new capacity would supply 25 million additional households with an annual electricity consumption of 3500 kilowatt hours.
300 gigawatts of solar power capacity is now installed globally according to the German Solar Association BSW-Solar (image courtesy of Shutterstock).
“The utilization of solar power has really picked up momentum in many countries around the world. As the global thirst for energy increases, more and more governments and investors are committing to clean forms of energy,” explains Carsten Körnig, Chief Executive Officer of the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar). China's National Energy Agency (NEA), for example, stopped the construction of around 100 coal-fired power plants with a nominal capacity of over 100 gigawatts, while at the same time installing photovoltaic systems with a nominal capacity of around 34 gigawatt peak (GWp) in 2016. This makes the “Middle Kingdom” the largest business market for PV, followed by the United States with around 13 gigawatts and Japan with around 9 gigawatts. A strong photovoltaic market is also developing in India, where forecasts predict growth of 8 to 9 gigawatts for 2017.
“The decision for solar power has long been based on more than environmental concerns alone. Economic considerations are increasingly the primary motivation for making the decision to invest in PV,” as Körnig emphasizes. “The risk of stranded investments in unprofitable coal-fired power plants is increasing, because in the future their enormous climate impact costs will inevitably be priced in to the overall economic equation. Meanwhile, solar power already provides an extremely low-cost alternative.”
In a current study, the World Economic Forum (WEF)determined that in over 30 countries around the world, photovoltaic technology is already so inexpensive that it can be operated profitably without financial support. An increasing number of countries are finding that it is more economical to invest in PV and wind power plants than in coal-fired power plants. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, in a study conducted for Agora Energiewende, arrived at the conclusion back in 2015 that in many parts of the world solar energy will soon be the most inexpensive source of electricity.
Antigua and Barbuda in strong position to accelerate renewable energy deployment, says report
An IRENA report has found that 75 per cent of Antigua's peak energy demand could be met with renewables.
Developing Antigua and Barbuda's abundant renewable energy resources will enable the country to meet a large share of its energy demand sustainably with renewables, according to a report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewables Readiness Assessment: Antigua and Barbuda presents practical steps for the country to maximise its renewable resources, primarily wind and solar, set new targets for renewable energy deployment, and strengthen energy efficiency measures in the country.
“Antigua and Barbuda has already surpassed its 2030 target of 15 per cent of renewables in the electricity sector as part of its efforts to mitigate climate change, ensure greater energy security and chart a path for sustainable economic growth,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin. “With significant solar and wind resources, Antigua and Barbuda is in a strong position to take advantage of the ever falling costs of renewable energy, and push towards even more ambitious renewable energy goals.”
Antigua and Barbuda is the second country in the Caribbean region to conduct an evaluation of its renewable energy potential through IRENA's Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) programme. The island nation is in the process of developing more efficient and clean ways to generate electricity through the adoption of its Renewable Energy Act in 2015.
“We particularly welcome IRENA's contribution, through the Renewables Readiness Assessment process, in identifying a road-map for ensuring that we can achieve the maximum levels of renewable energy possible at both grid scale and distributed levels,” said Honourable Asot Michael, Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy. “The Ministry is cognizant that given the central role which energy plays in economic and social development that the country must develop and utilize its indigenous energy resources in order to achieve the vision of transforming Antigua and Barbuda into an economic powerhouse within the eastern Caribbean.”
The report highlights that under current conditions it is technically feasible to integrate at least 37.5 megawatts (MW) of solar PV generation to the grid on Antigua. Given that peak system demand currently stands at 50 MW, and minimum demand at 23 MW, the additional renewable energy capacity would correspond to a variable renewable capacity penetration of 75 per cent of peak demand.
RRAs are a country-led process that offer a holistic evaluation of conditions for renewable energy deployment in a country, and outline the actions necessary to further improve these conditions. The Antigua and Barbuda RRA recommends the country undertakes a number of concrete measures to support the implementation of renewable energy including an action plan to scale up renewable energy deployment:
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- Review and rationalise the policy and tariff structure for grid interconnection with distributed renewables;
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- Undertake a comprehensive public awareness and engagement programme aimed at all levels of society. This would educate people about the costs and benefits of renewables, promote awareness and understanding of the influence of personal behaviour on energy efficiency and sustainability outcomes, and engage consumers in the daily business of sustainability;
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- Develop a national strategy for bioenergy and waste management development;
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- Establish an independent energy commission with appropriate authority to regulate the electricity supply market in relation to sources of supply, grid interconnection, pricing and quality of service of all parties;
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- Support renewable energy penetration in the power generation mix through standardised, technology-specific renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements.
© 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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