NASSAU, Bahamas — A $9 million non-reimbursable financing agreement facilitated through the European Union Caribbean Investment Facility (EU-CIF) will be used to build two solar microgrids on Abaco and solarize the University of The Bahamas, C.I. Gibson High School and the headquarters of the customs department, The Nassau Guardian reported on Thursday, March 31.
Daniela Carrera Marquis, the Bahamas country representative for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is facilitating the grant, said the funding will be made immediately to the government so that work on those transformational projects can soon begin.
“The grant money will support two microgrids on Abaco for electricity generation capacity and also storage capacity. This will allow Abaco to have not only a new source of energy that is renewable, but energy in a more resilient manner, if new natural disasters were to occur. A microgrid will be created near the Marsh Harbour Health Center and the government complex in Central Abaco and will benefit between 13,000 and 17,000 people in that part of the island,” she said during an official signing ceremony at the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday.
“The second microgrid will be installed at the Cooper’s Town Medical Clinic in Northern Abaco and will benefit a population of around 1,000 residents.”
The other projects are on New Providence and will produce a capacity of roughly 407 kilowatts of solar energy, Carrera Marquis said.
“One will be at the University of The Bahamas, a second one will be at C.I. Gibson Senior High School and a third one will be at the customs headquarters,” she said.
“This is very important because they are key locations but also because the University of The Bahamas will serve as a pilot for training and for providing the energy for the university. The grant will also finance training activity in the solar industry and foster local participation, and we are placing a lot of emphasis on inclusion here for more vulnerable communities and also women that are interested in participating in the industry.”
Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis said it is a high priority of the Davis administration to reduce the use of fossil fuel by creating an environment for renewable energy where Bahamians can participate. See complete Nassau Guardian article at https://thenassauguardian.com/two-solar-microgrids-to-be-built-in-abaco-three-in-np/?fbclid=IwAR1wDvR6RsekbOz8YMK1UEaqwasIE8jQNiW2BCpBL6SkPUlQf74exNFDJ3Y
