Page 34 - CARILEC CE Journal Nov 21

CB: Across the region, countries have
FEATURING:
set increasingly ambitious renewable
targets. How does that impact
thermal now and in the future?
What is the role of thermal in today’s
energy market and diversification in
the Caribbean?

MS: I would like to start by saying,
wearing both hats, as a utility owner-
Murray Skeete, WRB ENERGY, Vice President of Engineering operator and a renewable energy
and Regulation, WRB Enterprises, and renewable energy developer owner-operator, I see
developer WRB Energy. WRB has owned and operated thermal playing a key role going
vertically integrated utilities in the Caribbean, owns and forward for certainly the medium-term
operates a 28MWp solar farm in Jamaica, and actively and potentially into the long-term.
develops solar utility-scale and behind-the-meter projects in I say that because renewables and
many other markets in the Latam region.
specifically intermittent renewables,
which are being developed and
certainly front and center in today’s
market, primarily solar and wind,
present enormous challenges for
utilities in basically keeping the lights
on.

Edmund Phillips, WARTSILA, Business Development Manager, Thermal plays a role. It is going to
providing sustainable smart technologies and data analytics continue to evolve. Battery storage
for the marine and energy markets. technology is advancing. But I don’t
think battery storage technology is
there yet for long-term storage. By
that I mean, greater than four hours.
To make intermittent renewables work
at grid-scale and help utilities keep the
lights on, we’re going to need long-
term storage at a reasonable price.

Filipe Pinto, EAGLE LNG PARTNERS, Vice President, Business In summary, yes, I see thermal playing
Development, providing bulk LNG energy solutions. a role. What do we mean by thermal?
It could be existing liquid fuels,
distillate or heavy fuels, or LNG (liquid
natural gas). I think either of them
will work. LNG could be a very useful
transitional fuel if we can solve some
of the problems of getting LNG on the
smaller islands economically in the
quantities that we need.

Moderated by Christina
Becker-Birck, CADMUS, Vice President, providing energy I see a role for thermal going forward
expertise in planning, assessment, and policy development. for quite some time. And of course,
that will change over time, but it’s here
for the time being.

34