Summagraphics microgrid Curaçao

When is navigating uncharted waters & grid interconnections in Curacao?

Michael Ginsberg will present Navigating uncharted waters: Grid interconnections in Curacao during the session dedicated to Island Power: Renewables for Diesel-Powered Utilities on Oct. 14, 2021, 8-10 a.m. MDT. This year’s conference, Powering the New Energy World, includes six separate online sessions over three days.

Why is the feed-in tariff unsustainable in Curaçao?

In Curaçao, the feed-in tariff was generous but poorly designed and unsustainable due to the lack of investment in energy storage, distribution transformers and other infrastructure needed to support high penetrations of variable renewable energy. Know who manages renewable energy policy at the utility.

Why did the Curaçao utility refuse to give up centralized power generation?

Ginsberg said the Curaçao utility did not like giving up its centralized power generation business model, felt threatened by the rapid uptake of residential solar and was unprepared for the supply/demand mismatch from variable wind and solar.

How much does electricity cost in Curaçao?

The average commercial and residential electricity rates in Curaçao are $0.35 per kilowatt hour (kWh), according to the U.S. Department of Energy, far higher than the average $0.12 per kWh Americans pay.

Where is Curaçao located?

The island of Curaçao — home to approximately 150,000 — is a popular Caribbean tourist destination and a semi-autonomous region within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A close neighbor to Venezuela, Curaçao has its local oil refinery that endears politicians to the oil industry and supports many residents with oil industry jobs.