GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina on Wednesday placed renewable energy at the center of St. Maarten’s long-term electricity strategy, announcing that NV GEBE is advancing major solar-generation and battery-storage projects aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on imported fuel and strengthening the stability of the electricity grid.
Speaking during the Council of Ministers media briefing, Mercelina said St. Maarten’s continued reliance on imported fossil fuels leaves households, businesses and NV GEBE exposed to changes in international fuel prices. Government, he said, must therefore address not only the immediate pressure of utility bills, but also the underlying structure of electricity generation.
The proposed renewable-energy program includes approximately 4 megawatts of ground-mounted solar generation at Hope Estate and another 2.5 megawatts of solar-carport capacity at the Walter J. Nisbeth Road parking lots, creating a combined planned solar capacity of approximately 6.5 megawatts.
GEBE is also advancing plans for a Battery Energy Storage System, or BESS, with approximately 25 to 26 megawatt-hours of storage capacity and approximately 11 megawatts of inverter capacity. Proposed locations identified by the Prime Minister include Pond Island, Zagersgut and Mullet Bay.
The battery system is intended to allow electricity generated by solar installations to be stored and released when demand increases or when additional support is required by the electricity grid. Mercelina said the combination of solar generation and battery storage would improve grid stability, strengthen energy security and allow more renewable energy to be integrated into St. Maarten’s electricity network.
Mercelina added that it is also the responsibility of NV GEBE to examine alternative sources of energy if the company is to continue meeting St. Maarten’s electricity needs over the long term. He said development of the solar and battery initiatives has been included in GEBE’s budget and will be pursued in cooperation with Government.
The Prime Minister framed the projects as part of a broader shift in how St. Maarten approaches electricity generation, particularly given the financial exposure created by the country’s dependence on imported fuel.
“As I have stated before, energy security is national security,” Mercelina said.
According to the Prime Minister, reducing fuel dependence could help limit St. Maarten’s vulnerability to international price shocks while providing greater predictability within the energy sector. The projects are also expected to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions as renewable generation becomes a larger part of the electricity mix.
The renewable-energy push follows earlier calls from Mercelina for GEBE to accelerate work on alternative energy solutions. In May, after another increase in the fuel clause, the Prime Minister formally asked the company for information on efforts to speed up renewable and alternative energy projects, saying St. Maarten needed sustainable solutions that would reduce its exposure to imported fuel.
Mercelina cautioned Wednesday that the transition will require planning, financing, modern infrastructure and coordination between Government, GEBE, technical specialists and international partners.
