Gov’t Looks to add 150 Megawatts of Renewable Energy

The Government will be advertising requests for proposals (RFPs) for the supply of an additional 100 megawatts of renewable energy during the course of the year.

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate on June 21 in the House of Representatives.

He said the RFPs will be invited once the licence with Eight Rivers Energy Company Limited has been completed.

Dr. Wheatley informed that the Government will also seek an additional 50MWs in a separate waste-to-energy request for proposal.

“These are key moves towards the diversified energy mix and a competitive supply to deliver 30 per cent of the generation to the grid from renewable by 2030,” he said.

The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), earlier this year, selected Eight Rivers to build, own, and operate a solar energy plant in Negril, Westmoreland.

Minister Wheatley told the House that the Government is looking to finalise a licence and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the company to supply 33 megawatts (MW) of solar energy to the national grid at US eight and a half cents per kilowatt (kW).

The price, he said, represents the lowest for renewable energy supply in Jamaica’s history.

The US$50-million investment will employ approximately 200 persons during the construction phase, with 50 persons to have permanent jobs.

Construction is slated to begin in 2016/17 and the first supply to the grid to begin in 2018.

Meanwhile, Minister Wheatley told the House that two renewable energy projects are to be commissioned within a few weeks.

These are a 20MW photovoltaic plant by WRB Enterprises in Content, Clarendon, with capital investments of US$65 million; and the BMR Wind Farm at Munroe in St. Elizabeth, implemented through capital investments of approximately US$78 million.

“Together, Content Solar, BMR and the recently commissioned Wigton III 24MW Wind will add over 80MWs of renewable energy to the energy mix, putting us on track to having 15 per cent renewable capacity to the grid by 2020,” he said.