SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH is a subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG, and is engaged in photovoltaic hybrid projects around the world. The St. Eustatius Island Electrification via hybrid Utility Scale Solar and Storage project is the first of its size and class in the Caribbean, and helps free the island from genset dependency. It can also be marketed to show the technological feasibility to a wide audience and animate further investment. This combination is not new, but the inclusion of storage is key, and puts this project at the forefront of diesel substitution development. This lighthouse project integrates large shares of solar power into a diesel-power grid, reducing operating costs, CO² emissions, and diesel dependence. The storage component adds stability with frequency regulation, ramp-rate control and diesel working point optimization. There is a drastic reduction in diesel running hours, and emissions.
