The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) supporting the development of an offshore wind farm in Jamaica.
PCJ selected Keystone Engineering Inc. (KEI) to conduct the feasibility study which will evaluate the viability of installing the wind farm.
Winston Watson , Group General Manager of the PCJ, said: “The Government of Jamaica has identified renewable energy development as a major pillar in its strategy for energy security. This study will help the PCJ to get valuable data that can attract overseas investment for the development of our offshore wind resources and we look forward to a fruitful partnership with USTDA and with KEI.”
If determined viable after the feasibility study, the wind farm would be one of the first offshore wind installations in Jamaica and the greater Caribbean region.
The project is expected to offer potential export opportunities for a range of U.S. equipment and services related to the design, development and operation of offshore wind power generation and transmission infrastructure.
Nathan Younge, USTDA’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “We are pleased to partner with PCJ and KEI on this important project. The study will help to develop new energy resources and create potential commercial opportunities for U.S. technologies in Jamaica.”
KEI was the foundation design-engineer for the first offshore wind farm installed in the United States, the 30 MW Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island.