Uncertainty remains over the extent to which Consumer Owned Renewable Energy (CORE) will play in Cayman’s National Energy Policy’s 2030 target, which calls for 70 percent of the country’s power to be provided through renewable energy.
While appearing on Rooster 101’s Cayman Crosstalk on Thursday 1 April, OfReg Executive Director Gregg Anderson said the utility regulator has a three-year plan that will result in 22 percent of the country’s power being produced by renewable energy.
Anderson said part of the plan is a target for an additional 22 megawatts of rooftop solar power by next year.
His statement was quickly rebutted as being “impossible” by GreenTech Solar CEO James Whittaker, who was also a guest on the programme.
“Right about now you only have about 9 megawatts of roof top solar. How are you going to get 22 by next year?” said Whittaker. “In the whole 12-year history of the Cayman Islands [renewable energy industry] you have only ever installed nine [megawatts], you going do 22 by next year? – impossible.”
Whittaker said he believes another hurdle to achieving the 22 megawatt goal is a “current attempt to kill the CORE programme” – a statement which was refuted by Anderson.
“OfReg has not made one public announcement whatsoever that it’s stopping the CORE programme,” said Anderson, who added that the CORE programme would be included under the new Distributed Energy Resource programme.
Although OfReg has not publicly stated it does not support the CORE programme, Whittaker said he had private email correspondences which stated otherwise.
When asked by Whittaker, “Does OfReg intend to continue the CORE program?” Anderson said, “We intend to continue the Distributed Energy Resource Programme”.
When pressed about OfReg’s intention for the CORE programme, Anderson said “I think CORE is a Distributed Energy Resources programme” and that “OfReg intends to continue with Distributed Energy Programmes once 12 megawatts come online”.
Anderson said a lack of capacity on the grid is causing a technical hurdle.
OfReg has said that, at present, Cayman’s electric grid can safely accommodate a maximum 17 megawatts of renewable energy without causing brownouts or blackouts.
Of those 17 megawatts, the CORE programme was allocated 8 megawatts, which is now fully subscribed.
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What a bunch of bunk!
The representative of OffReg is just blowing smoke with his answers. I am surprised that he would even appear on this Radio Show. Clearly, James Whittaker knows what he is talking about, and realizes that the fix is in. All of the current government’s support is going to CUC, and the CORE program is just another “placeholder” to make the Cayman Islands look good on the international stage.
Shame on the Cayman Islands Government, and shame on voters who reelect the current band of well-healed insider elites. We all need to support renewable energy independence. Both as individual businessmen, homeowners, and public sector leaders!
Hear! hear! Rodney B. You are so right.
With elections in 9 days, what is our political nominee’s take on this OffReg board?