Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd.

The population and infrastructure growth of the Cayman Islands demands more electricity.

When thinking about our power grid and future energy needs, it is critical that we plan for where that energy will come from. The Government's National Energy Policy goal for the country is to derive 70% of its power from renewable energy sources by 2037. This is a policy that CUC supports.

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is derived from natural sources such as sunlight and wind, which are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Thus, they cannot be depleted from the earth when used.

Solar Challenges

There are various types of renewable energy that are accessible to Grand Cayman. CUC has been investigating and planning for the transition to renewable energy for many years and at this time, the most viable renewable energy source is solar energy. Below is some additional information:

Renewable energy options for Grand Cayman are limited by the nature of our land. Below are the three major challenges utility companies have faced during the adoption of large scale solar and the solutions to these challenges, that CUC is already in the process of implementing.

Cost

When solar energy was first introduced the cost was very high. Over time though, the costs have decreased significantly and now utility scale solar energy, namely from the Bodden Town solar farm on Grand Cayman, is the lowest cost of energy on the electricity grid.

Consistent Supply

As the main supplier of energy in Grand Cayman, CUC has to ensure that the demands of energy needed by our community, are supplied. Solar energy is only produced during the day and only when the sun is shining. At CUC, we call this “Non-Firm Power”. Non-firm power means that power sources are irregular, meaning they can fluctuate. Storage is the solution for this and is illustrated below.

Diesel is considered ‘Firm-Power’ as it can be used all the time. When the weather changes quickly due to something simple like clouds passing by, solar panels won’t be able to supply the same amount of electricity. When transitioning to renewable energy sources, it will be vital that the required energy needed by Grand Cayman is met.

Storage

Due to the intermittent nature of renewables, energy storage is needed to capture and release electricity in a consistent and controlled way to the grid. Batteries are store the energy produced by solar panels and also allow CUC to reduce the spinning reserve needs from diesel engines. This reduces costs for consumers; less fuel will be used. The installation of batteries increases the amount of solar the grid can accommodate.

Learn more about our battery project here.

Video

Watch the video below from 'DW Planet A' a German international broadcaster to learn more about the journey of solar energy

Empowering Growth, Sustaining Cayman

Customer Owned Renewable Energy

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