Masdar’s Antigua and Barbuda hurricane-resistant hybrid solar plant is now online: Operations have commenced at the Masdar-developed hurricane-resistant hybrid solar-diesel energy plant in the Carribean’s Antigua and Barbuda, according to a press release. The UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (UAE-CREF) inaugurated the project, which was first announced in 2017 after Hurricane Irma caused major damage to Barbuda Island.The plant aims to restore energy security to the Island, with the capacity to endure up to 265 km/h winds and other extreme weather conditions.

The details: A hybrid solar energy, battery storage and backup diesel project, the climate-resistant solar plant is expected to generate 730 kWp of solar energy, connected to an 863 kWh battery to store electricity surplus. The plant is expected to slash the Caribbean country’s diesel consumption by 406k liters and offset over 1 mn kg of CO2 emissions.

Who pitched in the funding? The project was primarily funded by UAE-CREF with USD 3.5 mn during the first funding round, in addition to USD 1 mn from the Antigua and Barbuda government, and a USD 500k donation from New Zealand, ReliefWeb reported

About the fund: Launched in 2017 at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the fund (pdf) was set up through a USD 50 mn grant from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) to support renewable energy efforts across the Caribbean Island. The fund is a partnership between ADFD, Masdar, and the UAE’s Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ministry.

The plant is the fund’s fourth project, having successfully launched three solar power projects in the Bahamas, Barbados, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2019. The UAE-CREF fund plans to develop more renewable energy facilities across the 16 Caribbean nations over three phases, in addition to cutting energy costs and bolstering the islands’ climate resilience.

Tags: