☀️ CUC proposes 100MW solar energy and storage plan for 2027

Cayman Utility Company (CUC) has applied to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OfReg) for a Certificate of Need (CON) for 131 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. This includes 100MW of solar energy and storage, with the remaining 31MW to be generated from fossil fuels. The proposal comes in response to the increasing demand for power and the goals set by the National Energy Policy, which aims for the country to be running on 100% renewable energy by 2045. 🌍

According to CUC President and CEO Richard Hew, the peak demand this year reached 127.9MW in May, but by 2027 it will climb to 140MW. To meet these demands, CUC plans to replace some of its ageing diesel generators with utility solar and battery storage. Hew also confirmed that the risk of potential blackouts due to high demand is no longer a significant concern, thanks to a combination of recent cooler weather, the completion of a battery storage site for solar power, and the return of diesel units after maintenance. 🌞

Despite the challenges CUC is facing regarding the 23MW of solar energy it had asked for in 2021, which has yet to be solicited, Hew is confident that this next effort will run more smoothly. He believes that the competitive bid process will happen shortly as they are working with the regulator to outline the power purchase agreements that a supplier would need to have in place with CUC if the power company did not win the bid. Once all the additional solar power is feeding into the grid, Cayman will leap from 3% of its energy generated by renewables to 39% by 2027, resulting in a reduction in CO₂ emissions by 28% from the 2019 figure. 🏞️