The first three renewable energy projects developed under the US$50 million United Arab Emirates-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (UAE-CREF) have broken ground in the Caribbean according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC).
In Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, the Union Island site features a 600 kW PV project connected to a 500-kWh lithium-ion battery that is expected to supply all of the island’s daytime power needs.
Financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the UAE-CREF is the largest renewable energy initiative of its kind in the Caribbean.
The project was designed by Masdar along with the government and is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2019.
Reem Al Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation, said: “The renewable energy project underway in St Vincent and the Grenadines further make the business case for sustainable development and UAE-Caribbean cooperation.
“It will create jobs and reduce energy costs to stimulate the local economy, while also incorporating concrete measures to address the reality of climate and hurricane risk.”
Two other Caribbean countries which are benefiting from projects are Barbados and Bahamas.
In the Bahamas a 900kW solar PV plant at the national stadium will serve as a carport with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, while also standing as the country’s first large-scale PV installation.
In Barbados, the project features both a 350 kW PV carport with EV charging stations and a 500 kW ground-mounted PV plant.
