The clean energy approach of the twin-island state Antigua and Barbuda has set an example for the Caribbean.
The efforts are now showing reliable and impressive successes. In just six months the 3 MWp sun2live airport solar energy plant, thoroughly planned, installed, operated and maintained by the UK-based clean energy provider PV Energy Limited, has already generated revenues of more than 1 million US dollars. The ground-mounted solar power plant is located at the southwest shoulder of the V.C. Bird International Airport Antigua and feeds the national grid with the energy generated.
“Since its commissioning in December 2015 the solar power plant has already generated 2,5 million kWh and therefore saved 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions compared to the use of heavy fuel and diesel, which is the common way of generating electricity on the island”, states Thomas Beindorf, Chief Technical Officer of PV Energy Limited. “This has substantially exceeded our initial expectations. With special regard to the weather conditions, which have not been as good as expected, we are glad to have achieved this excellent result.” This was only made possible due to a highly professional and diligent project planning including the thoughtful positioning of the solar modules, a very good engineering and operations and maintenance on a regular basis.
Thanks to the solar energy plant, which covers almost the whole equivalent of the energy demand of the airport, the Caribbean Journal has chosen the V.C. Bird International Airport as the second best Airport of the Caribbean. “It is a pleasure to see, how clean energy solutions and technical innovations can positively influence the image of an island”, explains Shpresa Azemi, Admin Director of PV Energy Limited in Antigua and Barbuda.
The installation of the 3 MWp airport solar energy plant represents the first step of a 10 MWp clean energy project cluster, PV Energy agreed to implement for the Government of Antigua andBarbuda. In order to reduce the foreign exchange outlays for imported fossil fuel and the pollution caused by diesel, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has decided to achieve 20 per cent of the electricity required by the country by utilising renewable energy technology. PV Energy Limited is already installing the remaining 7 MWp on further ground-mounted farms as well as on the roofs of Antigua’s government-owned buildings such as ministries, schools and hospitals.
About PV Energy Ltd.: PV Energy Limited was founded in 2010 and formed by the London-based property investor Prof. (hc) Peter Virdee and clean-energy provider The meeco Group. The meeco Group’s core business focuses on the energy sector and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. The group currently has over 50 employees working across 4 continents. As a leader in clean energy solutions, The meeco Group has delivered a remarkable compilation of projects totalling 370 MW across the globe. They continue to accomplish their mission by providing project developers, investors, governments, and private businesses with full turnkey clean energy solutions from development, financial structuring, construction management, right up to long-term operation and management.
