Blue Energy Alliance speaks at Irena Martinique Conference

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in cooperation with the Government of France and the French region of Martinique,  sponsored a three day conference in Martinique on “Island Energy Transitions: Pathways for Accelerated Uptake of Renewables”. Euclid Irving and Dan Cohee of Blue Energy Alliance (BEA) member companies Odysseus Energy and PDE Total Energy Solutions, spoke on the panel devoted to Renewable Desalination Systems and detailed the benefits of BEA’s integrated solar power and energy storage solution.

In their presentation Cohee and Irving focused on a remote microgrid in Anguilla where PDE provided the engineering, procurement and construction on the energy storage system supporting a 1 MW solar array and a reverse osmosis desalination plant that went live in August 2014.  Cohee reported the desalination plant produces 300,000 gallons of water per day utilizing 100% renewable energy. The ESS includes a Dynapower inverter that uses a combination of renewable energy and the battery to sustain a constant output.  Irving described how island electric customers are overly exposed to the risk of crude oil prices.  He explained how BEA’s ability to bring a build-own-operate solution enables industrial and commercial customers to obtain a long term hedge against crude oil for a portion of their electricity needs.

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future. IRENA serves as a gateway for knowledge and resources by providing different opportunities and implementations of services.  The IRENA conference produced the Martinique Action Plan (MAP) for renewable energy deployment on islands, with a clear set of practical steps for deployment of renewable energy resources and technologies.. This realistic action plan focuses on developing wind, marine, geothermal and biomass resources that help meet island energy needs. The MAP will be used as a starting point for islands to take immediate action and begin developing resilience towards climate change.

Click here to view a copy of the presentation.