Swiss energy storage firm Leclanché has broken area on a US$70 million solar and storage microgrid project in St Kitts and Nevis.

The system is expected to include a 35.7MW solar farm and a 14.8MW lithium-ion battery energy area system (BESS). It will give state-owned utility St Kitts Electric Company (SKELEC) with nearly a third (30%-35%) of the island’s energy supply.

Leclanché insists it will be the Caribbean’s largest solar-plus-storage project on end and will kill 41,500 metric tonnes of carbon discharges in its first year.

Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis said the build is a “significant milestone” for the region, which will support the key to creating a more independent energy market and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

The solar farm will stand on disused farmland that had been used for sugar cane production near the capital Basseterre. Leclanché secured a 20-year lease on the land last year, and SKELEC signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with the firm in trade.

Leclanché CEO Anil Srivastava stated at the time the construction “delivers a clear signal to other Caribbean countries that there is a solvent, more cost-efficient and viable option to diesel power.”

The announcement comes exactly one year following a group of the Caribbean and Latin American states.

"Today's groundbreaking marks a vital sign for our citizens, tourist economy, our broader business character and really the entire Caribbean region, despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19," Harris said.