Sol introduces Ecolution and commits to multi-million dollar investments
PHILIPSBURG — The Sol Group has committed to a $66 million investment in the St. Maarten economy between 2015 and 2025, through capital investment and community support, General Manager Robert-Jan James stated in a press release. “We are excited by the opportunity to play a key role in enabling sustainable energy solutions in St. Maarten now and for generations.”
The company is the leading provider of energy solutions in the Caribbean. At the recent Carilec (Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation) conference, Sol announced the introduction of Ecolution, promising to deliver on its commitment “to energize the communities we serve by facilitating the development of diverse renewable and low carbon energy solutions.”
“While we are at the early stages of this promising journey, we see this as a long-term initiative that will play out over decades,” says Sol Ecolution Group Manager Dami Adesegha. “We have committed a significant amount of capital over the next several years to support this initiative.”
Sol Ecolution has started deploying solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in a retail service station in Barbados. It is considering installing the same technology at 29 additional retail stations in St. Maarten, Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, Guadeloupe, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico.
Over the next couple of years company-owned retail and terminal networks will be included in the project. “Our offices in St. Maarten and our Bermuda terminal will also be producing PV energy in the short term,” the press release states. “We expect to install at least 5 more Megawatt of PV energy generation on commercial scale systems across our offices and unused land from our terminals.”
Sol is in discussion with utility and commercial customers to identify opportunities to facilitate the development of renewable energy for third-party use across the region.
The region’s untapped potential and initiatives by Caribbean governments and utilities to boost low carbon and renewable energy make clear that the energy mix will significantly shift over the next ten to twenty years, the press release states.
Claiming “a deep understanding of the Caribbean energy eco-system” Sol says that it is in a unique position to guide customers, stakeholders and communities through this energy-transition. The company’s capabilities include financing, logistics, technical expertise, engineering, procurement and construction services.
“Sol Ecolution is excited to leverage these capabilities to support the transition towards lower carbon and renewable energy solutions region-wide, including St. Maarten,” the press release states.
Sol’s proprietary and licensed products include Go Further High-Quality Fuels, Sol Gas, Sol Shops, Sol Aviation, Sol Marine and Mobil lubricants.
The Sol Group operates in 22 countries across the Easter Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Bahamas, Cayman, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe. The company supplies fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG through its extensive service station network, with marine, aviation and commercial operations in the Caribbean.
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