US$100M to produce 178MW from solar, hydrogen in Barbados

Feb 23, 2022 News

…Ethiopia spends US$600,000 per MW for Hydro
…Guyana engages Chinese Co. to build Amaila Hydro at US$4.2M per MW

Kaieteur News – The Government of Barbados will in the near future be realising some 178 megawatts of electricity using hydrogen and solar energy at a cost of some US$100M while in Ethiopia, that country will soon realise 6,500 MW of hydro power electricity at a cost of just over US$600,000 per MW.
In Guyana however, the Irfaan Ali Government is pursuing a hydro electrical project at Amaila Falls for a revised cost of US$700M which would work out to some US$4.2M per MW for a 165MW plant to be built by China Railway First Group.
With the world on a pathway towards reducing carbon emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels primarily for electricity generation and transportation, Barbados is now leading the Caribbean region with the announcement that it will soon be building the largest clean hybrid power plant in the Caribbean, producing base load power for 16,000 Barbadian households from solar and locally produced green hydrogen.

Bajan Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley addressing delegates at the recently concluded International Energy Conference and Expo 2022.

The venture comes as a result of the strategic agreement signed between RubisEnergie, the parent company of Rubis Caribbean, which acquired 51 percent of the largest hydrogen power project in the Caribbean, Renewstable® Barbados (“RSB”), developed by HDF Energy, inked back in 2021.
HDF Energy is also in active discussions with the Barbados Sustainable Energy Co-operative Society to offer 30 percent of the project prior to construction. According to a missive, RSB is a large grid-friendly energy power plant project that will supply clean, resilient, stable and competitive base load electricity 24/7 to 16,000 homes.
Located in St Philip, RSB will aid the island in achieving its 100 percent renewable energy mandate by 2030 without the intermittency concerns that typically limit the deployment of solar and wind power on island grids. It was noted that using only the sun as a primary source of electricity (50MW solar), RSB combines 128MWh of green hydrogen and battery storage to deliver a continuous output of power, day and night. The project is currently under Government regulatory review and approval.
Totally carbon-free, RSB has been designed to effectively replace certain aging, costly and polluting assets that currently burn Heavy Fuel Oil or Jet Fuel, with a similar level of reliability.
Not impacted by any commodity market, RSB also eliminates the exposure to fuel price volatility throughout its 25-year operating life. RSB said in its missive that it,”is committed to promoting the dual use of solar energy and agriculture on the site.”
Additionally, it was noted that a large-scale sheep farming facility will be accommodated as part of the project, “with both direct sheep grazing and grass harvesting within the solar power plant and surrounding green areas.”
According to the missive, “sheep husbandry will be developed on the facility in order to maintain dual use of the land, producing valuable lamb meat and skins locally, and generating direct and indirect local jobs while simultaneously saving and creating vital foreign exchange.”
During its two-year construction period, RSB said the venture will create about 200 jobs, and support about 25 permanent local jobs during its operation.
It was noted that with the Bajan venture, “RSB paves the way for the duplication of Renewstable® power plants at a global scale.”
The US$100M project is said to be a duplication of CEOG (en.ceog.fr), the first Renewstable® project in construction developed by HDF Energy located in French Guiana. It is being built by Siemens Energy and financed through a state-of-the-art project finance scheme. Rubis is also an equity investor of CEOG through SARA (the refinery of Martinique) alongside HDF Energy and the infrastructure fund Meridiam. Lenders include world leading private and institutional banks.
Damien Havard, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDF Energy in making the announcement said, “…we are extremely delighted to have Rubis joining RSB, the second Renewstable® project after CEOG.”

A solar panel array, with sheep grazing and grass harvesting potential within the solar power plant and surrounding green areas.

He noted that many similar projects are currently being developed by HDF Energy across the globe, using the same proven bankable business model and focusing on a valuable base load power service for local grids. According to Havard, “in addition to HDF Energy’s unique hydrogen power and local development expertise, we believe the solid presence of Rubis Caribbean in Barbados and its strong commitment to decarbonization makes it a robust development and financing partner. “
Clarisse Gobin-Swiecznik, Managing Director of Rubis Energie observed that this second investment in a green hydrogen power plant reinforces our growing collaboration with HDF Energy. “We strongly believe in the Renewstable® technology already implemented with CEOG as a viable solution to provide energy at an affordable cost to populations with challenging energy supply logistics. This new project illustrates our will to develop new carbon-free sources of energy, especially in countries where Rubis is operating.”
Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley during a recent visit to Guyana to participate in the International Energy Conference and Expo 2022 had during the activity, championed a people-centric approach to development and economic empowerment in the region through the energy sector which that country is now exploring. With this in mind, she used the occasion to speak to the ventures being undertaken in her country including the strides being made with the use of solar complemented with hydrogen.
To this end, the Barbadian PM reminded that as a Region, there is bountiful renewable energy potential much like Africa, which is blessed with the power of the sun, wind, water and more. With this in mind, she reminded of Barbados’ commitment to being carbon neutral by 2035. Expanding on her country’s push to achieve this, Mottley noted that Barbados at present hosts one of the highest densities of Electric vehicles, Buses and complementing charging stations per capita in the world.
She said her country has also replaced 88 percent of their street lights with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in addition to the use of solar on all public buildings and the use of offshore wind and marine power and wave energy technology among other sources such as the development of hydrogen. “We are also conscious that there is a need for us to maximise the solar revolution,” Mottley said, adding that Barbados 50 years ago started a process of using solar water heaters for hot water in homes.