MPC Energy Solutions Joins Leclanché For Battery Project In Caribbean

Netherlands based MPC Energy Solutions (MPCES) has partnered with Leclanché, the Swiss maker of energy storage solutions to build the previously announced 35.7 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) and 18.2 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project designed with Leclanché Energy Management Software (L-EMS) in St. Kitts’ Basseterre Valley, next to the capital city of Basseterre.

The project requires about US$ 74 million of investment and MPCES has acquired 40% ownership in the project’s holding company, in which Leclanché owns 60%. MPCES will invest up to US$ 17million.

“At COP26 in Glasgow, St. Kitts and Nevis presented a remarkable plan to reduce CO₂ emissions by 61 percent by switching to 100 percent renewable energy. We in MPC Energy Solutions are happy and proud to be part of this important initiative through the development of this significant PV and battery project near the country’s capital. The project will cover one-third of St. Kitts baseload needs for the next 20-25 years while reducing the carbon dioxide emissions by more than 740,000 metric tonnes.” said Martin Vogt, CEO at MPC Energy Solutions.

“This landmark project marks our entry into utility-scale hybrid projects that combine energy generation and storage”, he added.

Leclanché has a long and successful track record of concepting and building innovative utility-scale installations including several projects with S4 Energy in The Netherlands; the Cremzow, Germany system in collaboration with Enel Green Power Germany and ENERTRAG; SWB, Germany; Marengo, Chicago, United States and several Canadian projects.

The St. Kitts project, which is being built under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by Leclanché, has a 20-year USD-denominated Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the St. Kitts Electric Company (SKELEC), the only energy utility company on the island. The government of St. Kitts and Nevis leased the land in the Basseterre Valley to Leclanché under a 20-year agreement with the option of a five-year renewal. Groundbreaking of the project took place in December 2020.

Anil Srivastava, CEO at Leclanché, said: “We are excited to partner with MPC Energy Solutions for this landmark project in the Caribbean. This solar PV and BESS project demonstrates the ability of renewable energies to provide baseload power and competitively replace greenhouse gas emitting diesel-fuel power. The project will create material savings for SKELEC with a strong positive impact on the environment, CO₂ emissions and the local communities.

The success of solar+storage solutions on island territories is a critical use case for these regions, as most island nations tend to depend on diesel fired power otherwise. In India, Leclanche operates as part of a JV with battery major Exide industries, where it has a minority stake.