Inovateus Solar announced that it has completed the installation of a 1.0-megawatt (MW) solar power generation plant for the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla, BWI, an island in the Caribbean east of Puerto Rico.
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The solar system uses a battery backup system to store energy. This provides an uninterruptible supply of energy to the Resort's Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant throughout the day to create potable water to the residents on the island, guests of the resort and irrigation water for the golf course. The project has been designed to remain completely separate from the grid when needed, yet has the ability of reconnecting partial loads, to continue to desalinate water outside solar production hours. When the sun is down, the system depends on the local Utility, Anguilla Electricity Company Ltd. (Anglec).
Anguilla recently joined the Carbon War Room Ten Island Challenge to reduce the Caribbean carbon impact. The new solar plant saves 1.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
"The payback on this project will immediately save CuisinArt hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Inovateus Solar Project Manager, Peter Rienks. "Even more important, it provides a solution to the global water crisis. This system could be duplicated on any island in any country around the world."
Fresh water scarcity is an issue particularly on Caribbean islands. Utilizing solar power to convert salt water to potable water for human consumption and agriculture is an important concept that must be promoted worldwide, according to Rienks.
GE was involved from the inception and proved to be a great partner. "GE is happy to be part of the CuisinArt Resort solar project," commented Peter Foss, GE. "CuisinArt and Conair have set a sustainable precedent for photovoltaic water purification throughout the world. With GE's wide variety of products available we were able to find the best solution to fit their needs. We congratulate CuisinArt on being forward thinkers and pushing the envelope. Not only will the project have a great return on the investment, it will also help reduce the island's dependence on fossil fuels and help create a cleaner environment for generations to come."