Today’s report that a third of the electricity produced in the Caribbean Netherlands last year was from renewable sources is encouraging. This good news from both self-reliance and environmental perspectives is the result of investments in solar panel parks for Saba and St. Eustatius, as well as primarily in wind turbines on Bonaire. For Statia the share of “green energy” was even higher at 45.5 per cent, while this is still to go up considerably in Saba (16.7 per cent), because its two solar parks only started operating in February 2018 and 2019 respectively.
These three islands becoming overseas territories of the Netherlands per 10-10-10 no doubt played an important role in this positive development, as it helped provide them with the necessary means and expertise.
Mind you, there are potential drawbacks such as possible long-lasting weather-related issues that could hamper production. However, with the proper backup from diesel engines major problems can be mostly prevented. St. Eustatius, for example, is normally able to meet its full electricity demand from solar power during the day but requires the generators at night.
While Curaçao and Aruba too have made substantial strides in moving away from fossil fuels to more nature-friendly alternative energy sources, St. Maarten is lagging far behind. The setback suffered by local utility company GEBE due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017 obviously didn’t help, because priorities had to be set particularly regarding extensive damage to the tap-water distribution network and storage tanks as well as to the country’s streetlights that are so important in terms of public safety and the tourism economy.
Nevertheless, two years have since passed and the international oil market remains volatile, with – among other things – rising tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. Although windmills present challenges locally because of the hilly terrain and a less-stable trade-wind than, for example, in the so-called ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao), there is usually plenty of sunshine.
Existing plans to cover public parking lots on the Pondfill with solar panels and other, similar proposals should be dusted off and given new life, because sustainable energy is clearly the future. And if not now, when?
