Will Antigua & Barbuda achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2030?

With the Caribbean -island state of Antigua and Barbuda having committed to achieving an entirely renewable energy system by 2030, as part of a path to a net-zero carbon economy by mid century, a study prepared by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has placed solar front and center of the energy transition needed.

Will Antigua and Barbuda have a 100% renewable power system?

The current power system of Antigua and Barbuda was used to calibrate the model in HOMER, and subsequently various scenarios were considered to provide the Government with the least-cost pathway for a 100% renewable energy power system by 2030. The study has considered the following five main scenarios:

Does Antigua & Barbuda have a solar system?

It is important to note that there is no battery storage system currently deployed in Antigua and Barbuda, hence the solar systems can only generate electricity during the day when sunlight is available. This makes it indispensable for the heavy fuel oil generators to cover the entire load during evening hours.

How much electricity does Antigua and Barbuda need?

It shows how much of the total electricity demand is currently being covered by the various generators and existing solar systems. As shown in the chart, around 96% of the current electricity demand of Antigua and Barbuda is being covered by the three power plants. This translates to a total amount of around 362 GWh per year.

What is the share of solar PV & wind in Antigua & Barbuda?

In the previous scenario, a larger share of generation was coming from solar PV, while with the deployment of EVs we see a more even share between solar PV and wind. Almost 50% of the total load of Antigua and Barbuda is being met by the solar arrays, while around 46% is covered by the wind turbines.

Which energy source is most dominant in Antigua and Barbuda?

From the figure, it is also clear that the HOMER optimisation has estimated solar energy to be the more dominant source of electricity in Antigua and Barbuda to serve most of the load. The dominance of solar PV in meeting most of the total load in this scenario is clearer when observing the installed capacity by technology in Figure 21.