Minister Vaz Hails Lasco’s New Solar Energy System as a Beacon of Innovation

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has hailed the investment by LASCO Distributors in a new solar energy system as a beacon of innovation and progress.

He noted that the project, which is a welcome addition to the country’s sustainable energy infrastructure, demonstrates how renewable energy can be harnessed to benefit both commercial and national objectives.

“Its completion makes it one of Jamaica’s largest commercial solar and storage projects to date. Not only will it supply inexpensive, reliable electricity to power LASCO’s operations but also expect it to supply clean electricity and emergency back-up power to the neighbouring Central Village Community Centre by a smaller system,” Mr. Vaz said.

He was speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the successful completion of the University of the West Indies/LASCO 500 kilowatt Solar PV and Solar Battery Energy Storage Pilot Project on April 11, at LASCO Distributors’ White Marl plant in St. Catherine.

The project was undertaken with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Jamaica Energy Resilience Alliance (JERA).

The total investment was approximately US$2 million, with LASCO bearing 60 per cent of the cost and USAID covering the remaining 40 per cent.
The UWI contributed a nominal amount of the financing as well as the use of a weather station to facilitate research.

Minister Vaz noted that the system will contribute to over 2.3 megawatts of new commercial solar contracts supported by USAID and JERA, which has, to date, mobilised more than US$$4.4 million of private capital in the Jamaican solar industry.

Executive Chairman, LASCO Affiliated Companies, James Rawle, said the system was fully commissioned two weeks ago.

“The system is up and running and I think right now it is delivering on all the needs of LASCO Distributors… a key part of the project was the research that should follow, which will be guided by the UWI Mona. They will collect critical data to guide the process. We are working with the university to train people to develop a cadre of professionals with knowledge of solar PV systems,” he noted.

US Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Nick Perry, said that the USAID “is proud to have supported LASCO in the completion of this pioneering project. We are confident that the research that the UWI will undertake on this system’s operations will make this project a model for other Jamaican businesses seeking to increase the resilience of their operations”.

The UWI research team, led by Nobel Prize Winner and Emeritus Professor at the UWI, Mona, Dr. Anthony Chen, will conduct critical research into utility-scale batteries for distributive generation.

This is in line with the Government’s mandate to achieve the goal of generating 50 per cent of electricity from renewable energy sources and inform future commercial solar deployments nationwide in support of Jamaica Vision 2030.

Dr. Chen said that 100 per cent renewable energy is technically feasible with the application of technology and urged greater prioritisation of research in the renewable energy sector.

“We want to go 100 per cent renewable because it is about our energy resilience, our energy security and energy independence. Renewable energy is our only source of independent energy, and we have to make use of it… we can’t stop research in renewable energy,” he said.

The project marks an important milestone for the future of renewable energy development in Jamaica and the partnership between the US and Caribbean governments to enhance energy security and mitigate climate-change impacts.