Three Montserrat medical facilities now have new solar power producing equipment.
The hybrid solar photovoltaics (PV) systems installed at the Salem and St Peter’s Health Centres were 4.5kWp, while the St John’s Dental Clinic received a 9kWp system.
The solar project was completed as part of the 10th Project Cycle of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF).
The BNTF worked with the Montserrat Department of Energy, which spearheaded the installation.
These systems were designed, supplied, installed, and commissioned by Green Solutions International SKN Incorporated (GSI).
According to GSI, the health institutions now have a 24-hour power supply.
“Part of the Government’s energy policy is to move towards a sustainable energy future, renewable energy will assist in mitigating some of the effects of climate change,” Jennifer Meade, Project Manager of the BNTF of Montserrat, stated.
One major goal of this project is to improve the resilience of local health centers to climate change. Montserrat is located within the hurricane belt, which has seen an increase in hurricane activity over the previous decade; as a result, we need to strengthen our systems in order to lessen our reliance on fossil fuels. In the case of a storm, we need our health centers to be operational as soon as possible.”
Eleven Montserratians were taught to install and maintain PV systems as part of the program.
“We recognize that a well-managed energy sector is pivotal to economic growth and that the renewable energy sector plays an important role in achieving broader development objectives over the long term, especially in smaller islands such as Montserrat,” said Dr Wayne Archibald, Executive Director of GSI. To ensure that the solar PV systems we constructed are maintained, the Government of Montserrat ensured that employees responsible with managing and operating these facilities have the requisite skills and the capacity to pass those abilities on to future generations as time and technology progressed.”
“The installation occurred concurrently with the training; it was carried out using a combination of online learning and hands-on practical experience during the installation phase.” Training and certifying participants enhanced not only Montserrat’s renewable energy capacity, but also the Caribbean region’s, which is transitioning to a more sustainable, greener energy future.”
Last year, fossil fuels accounted for 96.7 percent of Montserrat’s electricity generation.
According to Marissa Allen, Energy Officer at Montserrat’s Ministry of Energy and Labour, the project will help the island lessen its dependency on fossil fuels.
“The goal of this project was to strengthen the health system’s resilience while also developing local capacity in solar PV installation, commissioning, and maintenance.” Employees of the two health clinics and the dental unit, as well as citizens who use these facilities, can now be certain that the energy used is clean, sustainable, and dependable,” she said.
“The Government of Montserrat will benefit not only from lower electricity bills from these establishments, but also from the island’s trained personnel who can design and install solar PV systems for residential and commercial buildings.”