Aruba Promises 100% Clean Energy by 2020

Aruba Promises 100% Clean Energy by 2020

December 10th, 2016 by Carolyn Fortuna

Aruba, a 19 mile long island in the southern Caribbean Sea, is dependent on imported fossil fuels, with more than 80% of the island's electricity generated using heavy fuel oil. But over the next half dozen years, that is going to change. Aruba has pledged to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2020 with particular emphasis on variable wind and solar for renewable energy.

Aruba is making progress toward sustainability as it develops a renewable energy framework, which requires overbuilding capacity or integrating storage technologies to compensate for the variable nature of wind and solar. The Vader Piet wind farm generates part of Aruba's electricity needs, and there is a second wind farm in development. Additional planned projects include an Airport Solar Park, a waste-to-energy plant, solar panels on residential and commercial buildings. When completed, these projects will generate a substantial percentage of Aruba's power needs. Aruba is also researching ocean thermal energy conversion, geothermal power, and energy storage technologies.

Aruba will also look to new ways to convert waste to energy and increase energy efficiency. To leverage its resources, the island must address barriers, such as limited open land and steeply sloping seabed. The utility company is working to provide air conditioning using ice that is produced at night when electricity costs are lower. Advanced technology such as floating offshore wind turbines and novel applications of commercial technology may be needed to reach the ambitious 100% clean energy by 2020 goal.

Justin Locke, director of the island energy program at the Carbon War Room, an international nonprofit, says it makes sense for islands to switch to clean power. "Islands currently pay some of the highest electricity prices in the world. At the same time, they also have some of the best renewable energy resources."

To move beyond the transition to renewable energy to smart growth, Aruba's plans include:

  •  creation of world-class walkable destinations for tourists and residents;

  •  providing incentives for household retrofitting and commercial energy efficiency;

  •  implementing a sustainable approach to smart growth in the tourism
industry to create an inspirational holiday destination; and,

  •  creating an Agriculture sector in Aruba that makes the best use of water
resources.

The Green Platform has been the foundational mechanism to develop an land-use and urban planning component for Aruba that promotes the transition to renewable forms of energy.

The Government of Aruba has goals to balance quality of life and sustained economic growth through a sustainable and shared prosperity. To achieve these goals, Aruba promotes economic growth, social equity, and environmental awareness. Aruba has designed an initiative to develop the island as a gateway between Europe and the Americas in the areas of green technology, business support services, and creative industries, which is intended to bring greater economic diversification, stability, growth, and increased sustainability to Aruba.

"Islands provide an incredible blueprint, or guiding light, for what a renewable economy could look like from a technical, financial, and regulatory perspective," according to Locke, "because they are actually moving in that direction now."

HIMURJA makes headway in non-conventional energy sources

Government endeavor to promote and popularize non-conventional energy sources have yielded encouraging and positive response from the people of the State especially those living in far-flung areas. During last two and half years, the State government has taken various initiatives concerning utilization of Solar Energy, micro hydel, biomass etc. 

The State Government is committed to harness the optimum power potential available, in addition to the hydro power potential available in the State. Himachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (HIMURJA) is acting as a nodal agency to implement the various centrally and State sponsored schemes - projects in the area of renewable energy in the State.

National Institute of Solar Energy has calculated a large solar energy potential in the State. State Government has initiated steps to reform solar policy of the State to make investment in this regard easy. Solar projects are being treated as Industrial projects and the Government is facilitating statutory clearances and land related approvals at the earliest.

A Master Plan has been developed for Shimla and Hamirpur town to develop them as Solar Cities and submitted to Union Ministry of New Renewable Energy for approval. A master plan for Shimla city has been approved. Under Solar City Programme, solar power plants of 20 KW have been installed at the Ridge and Old Bus Stand, and a 15 KW solar plant has been installed at Panchayat Bhawan, Shimla. 

The State government has established two State Level Renewable Energy Parks at University of Horticulture & Forestry Nauni, Distt. Solan and a park at NIT Hamirpur under Special Area Demonstration Programme of MNRE.

In an attempt to provide an alternative power resource, 37,574 Solar Street Lights has been installed in different Panchayats of the State, and approximately 4337 Solar Lanterns have been distributed to shepherds in the State and 10,000 solar lanterns have been provided to the flood affected area in Kinnaur District free of cost. Solar plants, with a capacity of 48 kwp have been installed in District Collectorates and 1×200 LPD Solar Water Heating Systems have also been installed in each District Collectorate. Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants of 2 Kwp have been installed in 176 Police stations and posts till date.

Apart from this, 24,337 Box type and 581 Dish type solar cookers have been distributed and a 2, 84,100 litres per day capacity solar water heating system have also been installed. Over 9600 solar lights under Schedule Caste Component Plan have been sanctioned. 12 Hydro Electric project, upto 5 MW capacity with an aggregate power capacity of 49.20 MW have been commissioned and 22 hydroelectric projects of 35.20 MW have been allotted during the period.

Rahul Bhandari is Editor of The News Himachal and has been part of the digital world for last eight years.

HIMURJA makes headway in non-conventional energy sources

Government endeavor to promote and popularize non-conventional energy sources have yielded encouraging and positive response from the people of the State especially those living in far-flung areas. During last two and half years, the State government has taken various initiatives concerning utilization of Solar Energy, micro hydel, biomass etc. 

The State Government is committed to harness the optimum power potential available, in addition to the hydro power potential available in the State. Himachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (HIMURJA) is acting as a nodal agency to implement the various centrally and State sponsored schemes - projects in the area of renewable energy in the State.

National Institute of Solar Energy has calculated a large solar energy potential in the State. State Government has initiated steps to reform solar policy of the State to make investment in this regard easy. Solar projects are being treated as Industrial projects and the Government is facilitating statutory clearances and land related approvals at the earliest.

A Master Plan has been developed for Shimla and Hamirpur town to develop them as Solar Cities and submitted to Union Ministry of New Renewable Energy for approval. A master plan for Shimla city has been approved. Under Solar City Programme, solar power plants of 20 KW have been installed at the Ridge and Old Bus Stand, and a 15 KW solar plant has been installed at Panchayat Bhawan, Shimla. 

The State government has established two State Level Renewable Energy Parks at University of Horticulture & Forestry Nauni, Distt. Solan and a park at NIT Hamirpur under Special Area Demonstration Programme of MNRE.

In an attempt to provide an alternative power resource, 37,574 Solar Street Lights has been installed in different Panchayats of the State, and approximately 4337 Solar Lanterns have been distributed to shepherds in the State and 10,000 solar lanterns have been provided to the flood affected area in Kinnaur District free of cost. Solar plants, with a capacity of 48 kwp have been installed in District Collectorates and 1×200 LPD Solar Water Heating Systems have also been installed in each District Collectorate. Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants of 2 Kwp have been installed in 176 Police stations and posts till date.

Apart from this, 24,337 Box type and 581 Dish type solar cookers have been distributed and a 2, 84,100 litres per day capacity solar water heating system have also been installed. Over 9600 solar lights under Schedule Caste Component Plan have been sanctioned. 12 Hydro Electric project, upto 5 MW capacity with an aggregate power capacity of 49.20 MW have been commissioned and 22 hydroelectric projects of 35.20 MW have been allotted during the period.

Rahul Bhandari is Editor of The News Himachal and has been part of the digital world for last eight years.