bp and Shell break ground on solar plant in T&T

The sod-turning ceremony for T&T's first grid-scale renewable energy project was held yesterday at Brechin Castle. The ceremony marked the commencement of construction of the solar project which, when completed, will generate 112MW of renewable energy across two sites (Brechin Castle and Orange Grove), making it the largest project of its kind in the Caribbean.

Commercial operations are expected at Orange Grove around 2Q 2024 and at Brechin Castle around 1Q 2025.

The solar project is being constructed by a consortium made up of bp Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago (bpATT) and Shell Renewables Caribbean (Shell). Lightsource bp is the construction manager for the project.

The project is expected to produce approximately 300,000MWh of green electricity per year. It will lower CO2 emissions by 150,000 tonnes annually and will reduce gas demand for Trinidad’s power generation, allowing for this gas to be rerouted for sale to LNG and petrochemical markets.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, said that the project represented part of TT's strategy to maximize the benefits it receives from oil and natural gas, tap into the economic potential offered by renewable energy, and fulfill its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. He added, "TT is making a statement today that we are joining the world's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," and "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.”

The Prime Minister also indicated that the country would pursue other renewable energy projects to offset the natural gas being used for power.

Also speaking at the event was the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Honourable Stuart Young, who thanked Shell and BP for collaborating with the Government on the project. He said, "It shows they have invested in the well-being of TT's hydrocarbon economy as we transition to where we need to go."

The minister also mentioned the development of a hydrogen project in T&T in the near future which will aid in the decarbonization of the petrochemical sector.

Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, bp's Executive Vice President for Gas and Low Carbon Energy, said “Today’s sod turning represents a significant milestone, bringing us all one step closer to the goal of producing power from Trinidad and Tobago’s first utility scale solar project. bp is working to provide energy that is secure, lower carbon and affordable – and this project does exactly that.  It also reinforces the importance of a collaborative approach to this country’s energy transition goals and together with the other consortium partners, we look forward to being part of delivering this country’s first solar project.”

She spoke about the need for the energy transition, but also the need for natural gas. She said that this was an "and" discussion, not an "or" discussion, indicating that both are needed for the global energy transition, with natural gas being the cleanest hydrocarbon. She said that this project supports T&T’s decarbonization activities and the energy transition and in addition she said that it can create more value for the country by freeing up more gas for export.

Shell's Senior Vice President, Eugene Okpere, said “This solar project signifies advancement of the energy transition in country and we recognize that collaboration is the key to success” said Eugene Okpere, Senior Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited. “At Shell, our involvement aligns seamlessly with our global strategy to promote the energy transition in all of the countries in which we operate, as we strive to find ways to provide more and cleaner energy solutions, while building a strong and sustainable business.”

He also said that this is a world class project and will provide power to over 42,500 homes in T&T. Okpere also emphasized the need for agility and action.

bpTT, in a press release, indicated that Grupotec Servicios Avanzados S.A. has been selected as the main contractor for the construction of the project at both sites and SDV West Indies Limited has been selected to provide high voltage connections to the T&TEC network.