Trinidad and Tobago is now one step closer to having significant renewable energy on the grid. At the post cabinet briefing, Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley announced that the cabinet took a decision to proceed with our renewable energy initiative.
The Energy Chamber is extremely pleased to hear the announcement from the Prime Minister that the project is moving forward and regards this is a very positive development for the country.
In 2018, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries launched a RFP for the provision of grid scale renewable energy projects in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr Rowley indicated that proposals were evaluated, and the joint proposal put forward by the country’s two largest natural gas producers BP and Shell (and renewable energy developer, LightSource) won the bid.
Dr Rowley indicated that the companies will now negotiate a power purchase agreement (PPA) which must come back to cabinet for approval. “And then we will be aiming to produce 130mw of power from renewables”, he added.
According to the MEEI, a tender-opening ceremony was held for the project in July 2019, it was revealed that 11 proposals had been received for the renewable energy projects for both solar and wind projects.
The request for proposals called for the supply of up to 130mw of electricity generation from renewable sources on a build, own and operate basis.