SOLAR ASSESSMENT FOR THE GERACE RESEARCH CENTRE, SAN SALVADOR, THE BAHAMAS

The Gerace Research Centre (GRC), located on San Salvador, The Bahamas, currently employs San Salvadorian utilities and backup diesel generators to produce consumable electricity. The GRC is a candidate for conversion to primarily electric systems due to a variety of reasons including the current implementation of backup diesel generators capable of supporting the necessary functions of the research centre, the prime location of the centre in terms of sunlight, and the available area for solar panels. The authors’ intent was to ascertain the feasibility of conversion to renewable electric systems. Key determinants such as available surface area for collection, cost of solar panels relative to installation and bulk purchasing, import tariffs or incentives, and battery storage have been evaluated. The breakeven point is our primary focus as it will ultimately decide the feasibility of the conversion. After analysis, the authors have concluded that a solar installation to GRC has the capability to break even in four to six years. This approximation is operating under extremely suboptimal conditions. These conditions include a maximum panel efficiency of 14%, a maximum of 6 hours generating electricity per day, and non-commercial pricing. The six-year estimate gives the longest time to scale and adapt while not spending exorbitant amounts of money on a solar conversion. The four-year plan, while reasonable, represents a significant financial commitment and efficient management of resources throughout the project. After completion of the program, the GRC would no longer be subject to the fluctuating cost of fossil fuels, and a full-scale conversion would allow the GRC to become a long-term study for the large scale deployment of solar panels, backed up with batteries, as a permanent electrical solution in areas where fossil fuels are less practical or available.