Nineteen companies have responded to a request for qualifications (RFQ) issued by British Virgin Islands Electricity (BVIEC) for a microgrid at Paraquita Bay.
BVIEC, the islands’ utility, is now reviewing the responses. Those selected will be invited to bid in a future tender when the utility seeks engineering, procurement and construction services for the microgrid.
The project will include solar PV, battery energy storage, power management systems, a substation, undergrounding of electrical cables and options for integration with existing fossil fuel generating assets in the British Virgin Islands.
The 4-MW Paraquita Bay microgrid is part of a larger plan to diversify and decentralize the islands’ energy technology, which was designed by BVIEC, the Caribbean Development Bank and sustainability organization RMI. The organizations came up with the plan in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The hurricanes pummeled the islands, causing people to flee and businesses to close.
Leroy Abraham, the utility’s general manager, said that the microgrid will add much needed resilience to the transmission network in the British Virgin Islands, as well as reduce reliance on fossil fuels and help the government achieve renewable energy goals.
Abraham noted that the request for qualifications drew both local and international companies. They are:
- JV Kelly Construction Atec.
- Core Development Group.
- Ctechi Group.
- Valard.
- Ozz Group.
- Sylvester Engineering.
- Compass Solutions International.
- Grupotec Renewables.
- K-Line Maintenance and Construction.
- Gearing Up.
- SMA Solar Academy.
- Vonk.
- Deltro Group.
- Dhybrid Power Systems.
- China Machinery Engineering.
- Your Eco Construction.
- Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S (BWSC).
- Autland Heavy Equipment & Salt Energy.
- Sino Soar Hybrid (Beijing) Technology.
BVIEC has secured $600,000 in grant money for the project from the Caribbean Development Bank.
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