The government of Trinidad and Tobago is finalising a commercial agreement for the 112.2-megawatt (MW) Project Lara, a joint venture comprising of multinational energy giants, Shell and BP, and specialist solar energy company, Lightsource BP.
Two sites have been identified for Project Lara, at Brechin Castle, near the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, and in Orange Grove, near Trinicity. The combined capacity of the sites will provide 112.2 mw of solar electricity, which the Ministry said is more than the total generating capacity of most islands in the Eastern Caribbean.
Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Stuart Young met with Francis Mann, Lightsource BP’s Development Manager – UK on Thursday to discuss the current status of Project Lara. The Ministry said discussions also surrounded the completion and execution of the documentation by the end of June 2022.
Government expects construction to begin in 2022, with commissioning anticipated in 2023.
The Government said it remains committed in its pursuit of the use of renewables in the energy mix, and that the integration of more solar projects allows Trinidad and Tobago to do its part towards global greenhouse gas reduction.
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley had said the country is looking to play a leading role in the Caribbean region, in the transition to cleaner sources of energy. The country is also adamant that it must develop its hydrocarbon resources with alacrity so as to maximise economic benefits to the country, even as it transitions.
In Guyana, government has asked ExxonMobil to conduct a study to determine how much it could reduce emissions at its offshore operations and help Guyana realise the goals outlined in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.
