Curaçao hybrid solar plant

Why did the Curaçao utility refuse to give up centralized power generation?

Ginsberg said the Curaçao utility did not like giving up its centralized power generation business model, felt threatened by the rapid uptake of residential solar and was unprepared for the supply/demand mismatch from variable wind and solar.

How much does electricity cost in Curaçao?

The average commercial and residential electricity rates in Curaçao are $0.35 per kilowatt hour (kWh), according to the U.S. Department of Energy, far higher than the average $0.12 per kWh Americans pay.

Can hybrid solar photovoltaic and green ammonia reduce the levelized cost of electricity?

CC-BY 4.0 . Hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind generation in combination with green ammonia as a seasonal energy storage vector offers an excellent opportunity to decrease the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). In this work, an analysis is performed to find the most cost-effective configuration of power-to-ammonia-to-power (P2A2P).

Where is Curaçao located?

The island of Curaçao — home to approximately 150,000 — is a popular Caribbean tourist destination and a semi-autonomous region within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A close neighbor to Venezuela, Curaçao has its local oil refinery that endears politicians to the oil industry and supports many residents with oil industry jobs.

Does Curaçao rely on fossil fuels?

Nonetheless, like many Caribbean islands, Curaçao depends heavily on imported fossil fuels and pays a stiff penalty in the form of high electricity rates and gas prices for transportation.

Can hybrid PV and wind reduce LCOE?

Notably, our results revealed that curtailing of renewable energy generation is key to reduce the LCOE when using hybrid PVs and wind to generate 24–7 on-demand electricity with batteries and green ammonia for short- and long-term energy storage. This is primarily due to the large differences in generation profiles and costs of PVs and wind. 2.