A Leader in the Caribbean in Clean Energy Sourcing

Earlier this year, Curaçao took a giant leap forward by achieving its 2020 goal of sourcing 30% of its energy from renewable sources. The newly commissioned wind turbines at the Tera Kòrá III wind farm were the last successful installation to wards the island’s goal of converting its energy consumption to more environmentally responsible and renewable sourc es. The island’s utility company, Aqualectra, has been working together with NuCapital, Inc. and Aspiravi Antillen B.V., to install 5 new wind turbines that have the capacity to produce enough electricity for 20,900 homes on the island.

TEXT BY HELEN GRIFFITH

The new Tera Kòrá III wind farm was inaugurated last July by Prime Minister, Eugene Rhuggenaath. In attendance of the ceremonies were several other ministers including: Minister of Economic Affairs, Steven Martina; Minister of Traffic, Transportation and Spatial Planning, Zita Jesus-Leito and Minister of Finance, Kenneth Gijsbertha. The wind turbines had been delivering power to the grid on a test basis for a few months prior to the official opening of the wind farm, operated by NuCuraçao Windparken II B.V. Nu Capital, Inc. and Belgian energy producer, Aspiravi NV, are joint shareholders of this US $36 million project with a total installed capacity of 17.25 MW, bringing the total production in Curaçao to 47.25 MW.

In keeping with the long-standing Dutch tradition of harnessing wind energy and sourcing other forms of renewable energy, Curaçao has followed in their pioneering footsteps to utilize a more environmentally responsible and economically viable way to power the island’s consumption. Well ahead of its time, Curaçao has been producing wind energy since the mid 1980’s, with the Caribbean’s first wind farm consisting of 30 turbines located on the windy northern coast of the island. NuCapital, redeveloped the original wind farms located at Playa Kanoa and Tera Kòrá after purchasing the Caribbean’s premier operating wind farm, Delta Windparken located at Playa Kanoa. These windmills were updated in 2012 with 10 larger, state-of-the art Vestas V90 wind turbines. This latest installment of 5 Vestas V-117 3.45 MW turbines, began in July of 2016 and will generate a further 65% of the energy originally generated from the 10 older V90’s. Towering above the landscape, these new turbines that were built by the Danish company Vestas, reach a hub height

of 91 meters from the ground, which three blades of 57 meters each.

When combined with the existing wind farms, the island now sources more than 30% of its annual demand from wind alone. This exceeds Aqualectra’s ambitious target of sourcing 30% of the island’s consumption by 2020, by completing the project a full 3 years ahead of time. With a further projection of increasing generation capacity to 40% by the year 2030, this serves to only strengthen Aqualectra’s continued long-term commitment to clean energy. Of equal significance, is the added benefit of lowering energy costs for Aqualectra and then in turn for the customers.

Most notably, Curaçao now shares the distinction of joining the innovative group of world leaders who are utilizing clean, sustainable energy as a major source of consumption. Curaçao now holds a place in the global top 3 of countries that are forerunners in the area of renewable energy. Together with Aruba,

they are the leaders in the Caribbean in clean energy sourcing.

As Darick Jonis, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Aqualectra, joined NuCapital’s CEO, Henk Hutting and Aspiravi’s CEO, Rik van de Walle, in this moment of great pride, he noted that “the continued growth in clean, affordable and reliable energy will serve as the anchor for a low-cost diversification in our generation matrix for many years to come.”