Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) yesterday announced that the corporation is set to implement its first solar and battery storage solution within a matter of days on Ragged Island. 

In statement, the corporation said following a vigorous and detailed request for proposals (RFP) process, a company has been selected on BPL’s recommendation, and a site visit by the project team, has been set for today. 

The statement explained that the goal is to support the Green Island Initiative established for Ragged Island by the government. 

The corporation also indicated that the project also supports BPL’s diversification of energy sources within its generation fleet. 

BPL’s Director of Grid Stability and Support Services Burlington Strachan explained that this will be the first solar and battery storage solution implemented by the power company. 

Strachan said adding this will pave the way for the company in the “renewables arena”.  

This project, when completed, he said, will produce an excess of 90 percent of the energy requirements for Ragged Island, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the island and diversifying the energy mix for BPL on that island.  

BPL also explained that it is implementing a turn-key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project to provide a solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage microgrid system.

EPC contracting is a particular form of contracting arrangement in which the EPC contractor is made responsible for all the activities from design, procurement, construction, to commissioning and handover of the project to the end-user or owner. 

The project will be implemented in one phase and a target energy production date was set for December 31, 2019.