(Stock Photo)
The inauguration ceremony for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Solar Photovoltaic Project will take place at the Barbados Water Authority’s Bowmanston pumping station in St John, on Friday, March 22, from 10:00 a.m.
In January 2017, the UAE Government launched a US $50 million Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund at its International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Conference. The fund was established to assist Caribbean small island developing states to promote the increased use of renewable energy within their countries.
The Government of Barbados submitted five project proposals to the UAE for funding, and in November 2017, an agreement was signed by both governments. The UAE facilitated approximately BDS $7 million in grant funding to project managers MASDAR for two projects.
Those two projects are the Barbados Water Authority’s supply and installation of a 420kW ground mounted solar photovoltaic farm on 1.5 acres of land at the Bowmanston pumping station; and the supply and installation of a 350kW solar photovoltaic carport at the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant.
As part of the agreement, the BWA has to fulfil the UAE MASDAR social commitment, which includes building awareness of renewable energy projects within schools and communities; the involvement of women in renewable energy; and strengthening teachers in renewable energy education and awareness, and as part of this aspect, the Lodge School was chosen for the implementation of a renewable energy project.