News from the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service, via Caribbean News Now, about the progress and prospects of the North Star windfarm project:
Approximately 10 to 15 percent of the overall capacity of the St Kitts national grid will be supplied by wind energy upon the completion of Phase I of the North Star Project at Belle Vue, St Kitts.
This is according to Mark Tippit, founder and president of North Star, a US-based real estate and renewable energy company, which also operates in the Caribbean and Central America.
He outlined that closer to 10 percent will be supplied at night when there is a decrease in demand for power, since most people are sleeping. On the other hand, closer to 15 percent will be provided during the day when persons are busy with domestic and business pursuits.
The energy will be generated by three 1.8 megawatt wind turbines (windmills) which are being manufactured by Vestas Wind Systems out of Denmark. Tippit said that the three turbines will produce 5.4 megawatts of power but the constant average supply will be 2.7 megawatts. He said that this will power 3,000 homes.
Bertill Browne, acting general manager of the Electricity Department stressed that the ultimate objective for incorporating the use of wind-powered energy was efficiency.
“The main aim is to reduce the cost of generating electricity,” Brown said. “Reduce diesel imports and add a greener generation of electricity.”
Read more about the St. Kitts wind energy project at Caribbean News Now.
Previous related posts on Green Antilles: Nevis wind farm officially opened and St. Kitts and Nevis alternative energy strategy.
[Photo: via Wikimedia Commons]
