By Sue-Ann Wayow
A 92-MEGAWATT solar site being established at Brechin Castle is set to be the largest solar energy producer in the Caribbean.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley officially turned the sod for the construction of the utility-scale solar plant at Brechin Castle, Couva.
The solar park is expected to assist Trinidad and Tobago achieve its Paris Accord commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the power generation sector by 30% by 2030.
Together with another plant to be built at Orange Grove Trincity, the two plants will have a combined capacity to generate a total of 112.2 mw of solar electricity at a cost of approximately US$100 million, a cost that was revealed by Finance Minister Colm Imbert last year.
Named Project Lara, Dr Rowley said the project was evidence that Trinidad and Tobago was committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
He said, “We as an economy are placing our future on the ability to extract solar power and drive our economy by selling products made from hydrocarbons with some element of greenery.”
The carbon dioxide emissions are expected to be reduced by 150,000 tonnes annually upon the plant’s completion and reduce Trinidad’s power generation gas demand which will allow for the sale of this gas to LNG and petrochemical markets.
Additionally, Dr Rowley said, the two plants combined could provide at least 10% of power to the national electricity grid. Senior Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Trinidad and Tobago, Mugene Okpere added that the project could provide electricity to 42,000 homes in the country.
In July 2019, bp, Shell and Lightsource bp (LSbp) formed a consortium and submitted a proposal in response to the Government’s Request for Proposals to build, own, operate, and supply up to 130 MW of renewable power to Trinidad and Tobago’s national grid.
Dr Rowley emphasised that while Government was exploring with new renewable energy options, it will remain in its hydrocarbon sector.
He said, “We will kill two birds with one stone. We will reduce our carbon emissions and we will earn foreign exchange by simply changing the product from one to the other.”
Energy Minister Stuart Young thanked Shell and BP for collaborating with Government on the project.
Also attending the ceremony was Minister of Public Utilities, Marvin Gonzales, Executive and President, bp Trinidad and Tobago, David Campbell. Vice President, Gas and Low Carbon Energy, bp Anja-Isabel Dotezenrath.
