Barbados is equipped to handle the integration of renewable energy sources into the national power grid.
This was the assessment of Minister of Energy and Business Kerrie Symmonds, who was speaking at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Renewable Energy Expo at Hilton Barbados yesterday.
Symmonds said that he was “baffled” by the spread of misinformation and the prevailing claims that the grid was either oversaturated – which occurs when there is more electricity generated than the power grid can handle – or there would be a shortage of power available.
“As of October 1st this year, we have had 65.5 megawatts of renewable energy installed on our grid. There are, as of the first of October 22.8 megawatts of capacity which is potential. I have licensed it, but it has not yet been installed. It therefore means you have a total of 88.3 megawatts of renewable energy capacity either already installed or about to be installed on the grid in Barbados,” he said.
The minister also addressed claims that the country’s feeder lines; which send power from the electric generating stations or substations to distribution points, were also oversaturated.
Symmonds revealed that of the 54 feeder lines across the island only seven were “red flagged”, those being in the areas of Arch Hall, St Thomas; Green Hill, St Michael; Newton, Christ Church; Sam Lords and Sunbury in St Philip; as well as Grazettes and White Hall in St Michael. (JK)