So, last Friday's blackout is the context in which BEL wants customers to consider the issue of the stability of the country's power grid. Presently, the CFE connection in Mexico provides a little more than half of the country's energy needs.
To reduce the impact of disconnections like the one which happened last Friday, BEL wants to establish a greater level of energy independence. The company is in the process of conducting scientific studies on the best course of action to generate more sources of energy inside Belize. It's called the Least-Cost of Power Study, and today, several of BEL's upper management explained it:
Dawn Nunez - GM, Employee, and Corp. Services
"We are currently in the process of completing what we call the Least-costs Generation and Transmission Study. The importance of that study, and why customers would care about this study is because it will help us identify what are the best options for generations going into the future? What are the best options still expand our transmission system going into the future? Renewable energy is something that, you know, those of us in the energy sector are actively pursuing. Years ago in terms of capacity building, and local generation capacity building, the focus was on hydro and biomass. We're now entering a second phase of the local generation capacity building. And so you'll hear us talk more about solar, and battery technology. You've heard of speak of that before, you know, moving from diesel to natural gas. wind technology, all of these things become very important. So we're very excited about the Least-Cost Study."
Sean Fuller - GM, Commercial and Retail Services, BEL
"We're focusing on renewable energy resources, and self-sufficiency, simply meaning that we're looking at the utility-scale solar. The supply, the expansion study suggests that we can get anywhere between 45 and 60 megawatts of solar on our network. To put that in perspective, our entire grid's need right now is about 110 megawatts. The study is saying we can have as much as 45 to 60 megawatts additional solar, on the network. It also speaks of wind
technology that we're able to be able to experiment with, based on the studies that are shown the potential for wind in certain areas of the country. It also calls for battery systems, where we will install ten or 20 megawatt-sized battery technology systems for an immediate response when we have issues on the network, and also for solar intermittency. There's a possibility for natural gas plants or a natural gas plant or two to in on the network. And obviously, we're also looking at what is known as distributed generation, allowing customers with solar PV systems on their rooftops to be able to supply into the grid. And so that entire mix will allow us to be more self-sufficient and less reliable, less reliant on Mexico, on the Mexican supply. But it does not mean we will get rid of the Mexican supply. We will maintain that relationship with CFE because we want to be able to take advantage of the cheap cost of power when the Mexican supply is available at those cheaper prices to be able to stabilize the cost of power. So, cost stabilization, system stability, and self-sufficiency are the key components that we're looking at in this Least-Cost expansion study that will see us expanding in-country resources using renewable energy resources."
