Barbados to offer utility-scale wind project for development

Barbados’ government plans to tender the design, construction and operation of a 30-50MW wind farm which would be the country’s first such utility-scale plant.

Current work to advance the Lamberts project is focused on wind measurement, and technical, environmental and social studies, energy ministry information shows.

Noise and shadow flicker, land use and rights, and community health and safety are some of the issues to be addressed, accompanied by stakeholder engagement.

The plant would span the parishes of St Lucy and St Peter and take 2.5-3 years to complete.

The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for a potential date of the procurement call.

Lamberts is part of the national energy policy which envisions renewables supplying 100% of power by 2030.

Last December, the government and the IFC signed an agreement to support the project.

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Barbados Light & Power is the island’s principal generator, with installed capacity of 252MW from thermal and 10MW solar. In addition, the company purchases electricity from independent power producers who own 25MW of solar capacity.