Geothermal Drilling Site in Hamilton, Nevis
Charlestown, Nevis
July 02, 2018
In pursuit of its sustainable energy program, the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) will not actively pursue other areas of renewable energy but will to concentrate its efforts in geothermal energy.
Hon.. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Energy, said at his 5th monthly press conference at Pinney’s Estate on June 25, 2018, Nevis Renewable Energy International Inc. (NREI), geothermal developers who the NIA contracted to develop the resource, would be able to satisfy the island’s energy needs.
“Nevis is small and the demand for energy is finite at this point. We vary between 6 and 9 megawatts –“ 6 at base and 9 at peak. So [NREI] has said to us they can provide us with 9 to 10 megawatts at the first go.
“Every provider requires the Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC) to sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)…The problem that we have tried to avoid is NEVLEC being committed contractually to pay for 14 or 15 megawatts of power when we could only sell 6 to 9 megawatts”.
“Currently geothermal alone will provide 100 percent of our base load and so, it makes no sense for us to commit ourselves to pay for power that we will have and cannot sell. So that is the real thinking behind the approach that we have taken,” he said.
The NIA, NEVLEC and NREI signed a PPA in November 25, 2015. The agreement provides for 25 years of domestic base load renewable energy supply from geothermal resources located on the island of Nevis.
The first phase of the project will supply 9 megawatts of power that is immediately expandable, to meet the ongoing power needs of the island and capable of exporting 40-50 megawatts of additional power to neighbouring islands.
Mr. Brantley, who was at the time Deputy Premier, said the Nevis Geothermal Project will create increased economic growth, reduce power costs, increase employment and create new economic opportunities for local businesses.
The Nevis Renewable International Inc. which is a subsidiary of Texas-based Thermal Energy Partners, LLC said it is committed to hire, train and employ, go the maximum extent possible, Nevisians in site development, planning, construction and operations phases of the project.
Thermal Energy Partners, LLC is a geothermal energy company which provides resilient, renewable and base-load power to utilities, industrial and critical infrastructure clients worldwide.
The first PPA signed for renewable energy on Nevis was with WindWatt (Nevis) Ltd. in 2010 for the provision of wind-generated energy at its Wind Farm at Maddens. The farm was officially connected to the NEVLEC grid in July of the same year.
In the area of solar energy, the NIA has not entered any contractual agreements. However, it has encouraged business places and private homes to install solar panels, a challenge which has been embraced by the Oualie Beach Resort Hotel.