Barbados National Oil Company Ltd (BNOCL) is all about sustainable energy solutions these days. The company was formed in 1983 when the Government of Barbados acquired the assets of Mobil Oil. Renewables have been on the company’s radar since 2010, but since 2020 BNOCL has been on a route to fully embrace the government’s Net Zero plans. Business Development Officer Rachael
Mc Kenzie explained to Hannah Barnett how the shift to green energy is going.
The stated purpose of the Barbados National Energy Policy is “to lead Barbados’ sustainable energy revolution while enhancing the quality of life for all Barbadians.” As a private energy company that functions as a key operational instrument for the Government of Barbados, BNOCL is a custodian of this ethos.
“We are in full support of Barbados’ carbon neutrality goal,” explained Racha el Mc Kenzie, Business Development Officer. “We’re really pushing towards that goal by focusing on projects that provide sustainable energy solutions, inclusive of not only domestic, commercial and utility scale renewable energy, but also sustainable agriculture and sustainable transport.”
The goal is the successful delivery of affordable energy for all. BNOCL is striving to make a significant contribution to improve the social wellbeing of Barbados by providing energy solutions for the country’s growth. The intent is to become a transformative Barbadian energy company, helping to underpin the advancement of the nation’s social and economic potential.
Solar and agro-solar
With the shift to renewable energy in mind, BNOCL is expanding its sustainable endeavours considerably. The company is proudly leading by example, with its own solar photovoltaic ventures generating 4 megawatts across multiple sites which are almost 100% complete.
“That is a huge accomplishment in itself Especially for a company like ours: an oil company predominantly affiliated with hydrocarbon operations moving towards sustainability,” Ms Mc Kenzie reflected. “It demonstrates our commitment to providing these solutions.”
Solar power is one of the main avenues of development the company is pursuing. “We’ve ramped up our residential and
commercial PV programmes,” said Ms Mc Kenzie, “and passed a million Barbados dollars in our residential solar PV contracts. It’s a big achievement because we haven’t been in the renewables sector for very long, but we have maintained cost-competitiveness in the market so, we’re proud of hitting that milestone. We’ve also grown our wholesale market considerably.”
One of the most innovative developments BNOCL is pursuing is agro-solar projects. The agro-voltaic concept involves the joint development of the same land area for solar photovoltaic and agriculture, allowing the cohabitation of two key sectors.
The company has developed a 25kW agro-solar pilot project on its compound. The agro-solar system modules are designed to suit farmers as they are mounted approximately ten feet off the ground, allowing for small crop cultivation or the raising of cattle. The PV modules allow sunlight to pass through, so the crops still receive natural sunlight.
“Our agro-solar project is a cross-legacy operation,” explained Ms Mc Kenzie, “because it was developed by our own staff, who would have been employed in oil and gas operations. So, for example, our welders were involved in its installation. We’re prioritising the Just Transition
principles of upskilling and reskilling our own workers to lead by example.”
Agro-solar is providing BNOCL the opportunity to make its mark and expand its offerings in the renewables sector.
“There are many solar developers in the residential space in Barbados,” said Ms Mc Kenzie, “but we are a leader in agro-solar. We have a number of agro-solar projects in the pipeline, with one of them being as big as 10 megawatts across nine locations.
“And we want to continue this drive, especially given the constraints with land availability. Barbados is a small island and there are competing demands for land. There is also the concern of water scarcity. Therefore, we’re proud to provide a solution that is both cost-effective and sustainable for farmers. ”
Other renewable projects
BNOCL is also researching a host of additional renewable solutions. For example, the company is in the process of establishing a micro-grid on-site, to remove some of its offices from the grid. The project is set to be fully underway later in 2023.
As Ms Mc Kenzie explained: “The provision of commercial and utility scale battery storage solutions is one of our major upcoming investment opportunities. We provide small scale battery solutions at the moment, but we want to ramp that up , especially as Barbados pushes towards its 100% renewable energy target.
“We also see some potential in exploring hydrogen, because we understand the role that it can play for decarbonisation, but that is in its very early stages. We’re also looking at biofuels and EVs for sustainable transport. But our main priority right now is battery storage solutions.”
It is impressive how much BNOCL has achieved since it started its shift to
renewable energy sources. “In a short space, we’ve been able to develop a robust framework,” as Ms Mc Kenzie put it. “We have good knowledge of the processes; from designing systems, pursuing regulatory approvals, conducting procurement, as well as warehousing, installation, operation and maintenance.”
Because of this scope of knowledge, BNOCL provides the customer a one-stopshop experience. “Some companies only provide installation services, or provision of the products,” Ms Mc Kenzie said. “We offer a holistic turnkey bundle, so it’s very easy for a client to contact us, request a system and sit back. We do it all for them.”
Partnerships for the future
For any company to be successful, especially one going through a period of flux, a strong relationship with its network and suppliers is essential. According to Ms Mc Kenzie, BNOCL engages with all key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Energy and
Business, the Utility, Barbados Light and Power financial institutions, as well as NGOs, such as the Barbados Renewable Energy Association, to maintain a high level of collaboration.
“In creating that network, alongside our business development team and operations arm, we are able to ensure a smooth network of operations and seamlessness in executing projects. We also maintain open communication with our suppliers. This approach been really helpful. It also assures our suppliers that we’re serious about what we are doing with respect to renewable energy,” Ms Mc Kenzie said. “So they have faith in us, and this results i n a good working relationship with timely turnaround on requests.”
With this firm framework in place, BNOCL is looking towards investing into a further renewable energy source, namely wind
power. In some cases, combined solar and wind projects would be pursued, where feasible. “We are currently gathering data to investigate how best to develop such projects”, explained Ms Mc Kenzie.
With this much going on, it is clear the shift to being a sustainable and integrated energy company is fully underway at BNOCL. The scope of activity is part of what makes the company an enjoyable working environment, according to Ms Mc Kenzie.
“It’s really hands on,” she concluded. “I am able to interact with customers, understand their needs, design systems to suit them and see the project all the way through to implementation, which is very fulfilling. It is an extremely dynamic environment and there is neve r a dull day.” n
