A Solar Park Will Be Constructed On The Site Of Curaçao’s Oil Refinery

Five of Curaçao’s government stock corporations that operate in the port and energy sectors are planning the construction of a solar park on the western side of the site of the island’s national oil refinery (Isla). The ‘Green Power House’ is expected to eventually provide sustainable energy to the island’s businesses.

It is one of eight concrete projects mentioned in the cooperation agreement signed on November 24th by the directors of the five stock corporations in question: Darrick Jonis (CEO Integrated Utility Holding, whose subsidiary is Aqualectra), Patrick Newton (managing director ad interim Refineria di Kòrsou, RdK), Yamil Lasten (managing director Curoil), Humberto de Castro (managing director Curaçao Ports Authority, CPA), and Suldric Rojer (managing director Kompania di Tou Kòrsou, KTK).

Providing sustainable energy to the island
The solar park on Isla’s western side (Isla West) will be constructed in several phases after the contaminated area has been cleaned up. It concerns the most polluted part of the Isla terrain that is not being used. The site is owned by RdK.

In the cooperation agreement signed last week, the construction of the solar park on Isla West is mentioned as a concrete project that can benefit from sharing knowledge, experience, personnel, and facilities. In the Green Power House, electricity will be produced from solar energy.

This may be stored temporarily on Isla West, but will then be supplied to various client companies through an electricity network to be constructed by RdK. It can be supplied to ABC Autobus Company, for example, for charging electric vehicles, but also to KTK for charging electric boats. This ‘using the charging points of RdK.’

Green power is also available to businesses on RdK sites “around the Schottegat and Bullenbaai.” If solar energy supply exceeds demand and cannot be stored, the surplus could be sold to Aqualectra if the utility company so desires.

Aqualectra already has far-reaching plans for the construction of another solar power plant that should produce 10 to 15 megawatts. The solar panels will be placed on the roofs of Aqualectra’s offices on the Dokweg and the Nieuwe Haven, and on the buildings in the free zones and in the Brievengat industrial estate of government stock corporation Curinde.

Other promising projects
The 5 stock corporations (Utility Holding, Curoil, RdK, CPA and KTK) will also support each other ‘to come to an agreement for the supply’ of liquified natural gas (lng) and ‘explore the possibilities’ for the bunkering of lng in the port of Willemstad.

Joint efforts will be made to ‘design an electricity network that is independent of the refinery’ for the storage of lng and bulk storage of fuels. Options for sustainable energy in the port will be explored and RdK and CPA will ‘make joint efforts’ to find a structural solution for the underground pollution in the port.

Furthermore, a charging infrastructure for electric cars will be set up, ‘first on Bonaire and eventually on Curaçao.’ And within Living Lab it will be investigated which sustainable and circular activities have a chance at Isla West and whether setting up a facility for hydrogen production is feasible.

Article source:  www.antilliaansdagblad.com