contributed by Doug Cotton
More than a dozen companies have responded to the US Virgin Islands' recent call for proposals to supply non-oil produced energy to the V.I. Water and Power Authority.
The proposals include several ocean thermal energy conversion, wind power, geothermal energy, coal and an inter-island connection cable between St. Croix and St. Thomas. The bidders are from throughout the Caribbean and the United States.
WAPA's evaluation team has begun the process of deciding which proposal will be the best fit for the territory. Evaluators will be guided by consultants Boston Pacific, R.W. Beck and Skadden Arps, as well as ex-officio team members including WAPA Executive Director Hugo Hodge Jr. and the authority's legal
counsel.
Ensuring that the small power provider will produce electricity at a lower cost than WAPA's existing generators will be a major factor in the selection, but environmental sustainability and the amount of time needed to come into operation also will be considered.
The selection committee will announce the winner on June 30. WAPA and the winner then will begin negotiating terms for the contract.
The bidders include:
Advance Green Technologies, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Solar photovoltaic generation to produce 2 megawatts of power on St. Thomas by January 2010.
Bio Energy Inc., based in Cherry Hill, N.J. Biomass generation to produce 10 to 12 megawatts on St. Thomas and St. Croix by May 2009.
West Indies Power Holdings B.V., based in Charlestown, Nevis. Geothermal flash and/or binary plants to produce 130 megawatts for both St. Thomas and St. Croix by August 2010.
Atlantic Renewable Energy, based in Clifton, Va. Compressed natural gas to produce 34 megawatts on St.Thomas and 24 megawatts on St. Croix by May 2010.
St.Croix Renaissance Group, based on St. Croix. Coal-fired generation of 60 megawatts and 1 million gallons per day of water for St. Croix by January 2011.
St.Croix Renaissance Group LLLP and NOVA Energy LLC, based on St. Croix and in Fort Collins, Colo. Waste-to-energy generation of 3.312 megawatts for St. Croix by May 2011.
Blue Wave Capital LLC, in cooperation with St. Croix Renaissance Group, based in Boston and on St. Croix. Solar photovoltaic and wind generation to produce 7.2 megawatts for St. Croix by January 2011.
Alpine Energy Group, based in Englewood, Colo. Waste-to-energy generation of 13.5 megawatts for both St. Thomas and St. Croix by October 2011.
Sea Solar Power International, based in Washington, D.C. Ocean thermal energy conversion to produce 10 megawatts for St. Croix followed by production of 10 megawatts for St. Thomas by June 2012.
BQ Energy, based in Patterson, N.Y. Wind turbines to generate 19.55 megawatts or St. Croix by June 2011.
OCEES International, based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ocean thermal energy conversion to generate 15 megawatts for St. Croix by December 2011.
Stern Brothers, based on St. Croix. Wind turbines to generate 16 megawatts for St. Croix by July 2011.
Nu Energy Smart, LLC, based in Fort Pierce, Fla. Waste-to-energy generation of 18 megawatts for St. Thomas and St. Croix by June 2011.
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