The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A renewable energy provider yesterday said the system installed at a major Family Island resort will cut its emissions by 95 percent through slashing diesel fuel consumption.

Justin Cunningham, of Compass Power, told Tribune Business that more hotels need to follow the Chub Cay Resort’s lead on solar energy as a solution to cutting energy costs.

He said: “We want people to understand that solar power is here, and that it is real and it’s feasible, and it is economically beneficial so people can trust it. You can go to our company, or any other solar power company, and you can expect to see real savings.”

The new solar system will reduce the Berry Islands-based resort’s diesel fuel consumption and resulting emissions by 95 percent. Chub Cay’s general manager, David Renaud, said: “Energy production is our second highest monthly expense with diesel fuel only being one component of the cost.

“Our (Chub Cay) transition to renewable energy is designed to elevate the guest experience and benefit our bottom line. Chub Cay is happy to be an industry leader and hopes that other resorts will follow the same path.”

Compass Power is an energy, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions provider for energy systems in the Caribbean. Its renewable subsidiary, Compass Solar, specialises in commercial/utility solar and microgrid projects, having completed 5 Mega Watts (MW) of solar installations with a further 5MW under contract.

Compass Power said the Chub Cay project had made it the only resident Bahamian contractor to achieve such an installation, and it was the second-largest power installation the company has completed in its 16-year history.

“For Compass Solar to be the EPC (engineer, procurer and construction) contractor for the largest microgrid in the country is a game-changing opportunity,” Mr Cunningham added.

“Coupled with the engineering skills required to build-out large power stations, such as the Baha Mar resort, this makes Compass the only resident Bahamian contractor to install over 70 MW of traditional and renewable power applications.”

At Chub Cay, Compass said it paired four 1 MW bi-directional PCS inverters with a 10 MWh (mega watts per hour) lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). These are housed in two environmentally-sealed and hurricane-rated enclosures.

Each building features 40 battery racks loaded with 17 modules, weighing over 200 pounds each. To achieve completed redundancy for the resort, the BESS, PCS inverters and PV (photovoltaic) field is divided into two halves, each separately connected and with the ability to operate independently of one another.

Mr Cunningham said: “I think we need to highlight that BPL (Bahamas Power & Light) has done a lot of hard work accommodating solar coming into the country. I think the OPM (Office of The Prime Minister) has also done a good job of putting regulations in place that allow for the implementation of solar, and whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, you definitely should consider it.”

While Chub Cay is an island unto itself with no true utilities, Mr Cunningham said “an off-grid residential complex is something that could be done”.

He added: “I think more resorts should consider solar energy because energy is probably their second highest cost, and anything a resort can do to make energy less expensive is beneficial for the resort. And anything that we as Bahamians can do to mandate solar or renewable, clean generation from that resort is beneficial for ourselves as a country.”