After just two years of operation, SunTerra Energy (Jamaica) Limited is already positioning to become a leader in the green energy revolution as it moves to develop an energy-independent future for clients — backed by innovative, cost-effective and sustainable renewable energy solutions.

“SunTerra was founded approximately two years ago with a vision to transform the energy sector in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region. The company, which specialises in consulting and the engineering of energy solutions for businesses, is now on a mission to reduce high energy cost in most countries where it seeks to bring increased sustainability for clients. Our primary focus therefore is to help our customers with achieving their renewable energy goals as we empower them to reduce their carbon footprint, improve grid reliability and to lower the cost of electricity by supplying a significant portion of their energy mix from the sun,” CEO Emanuel DaRosa told the
Jamaica Observer recently.

“As a career industry professional who has held front line positions across various aspects of the energy industry, leading utilities within Canada and Jamaica, my aim along with that of the rest of the SunTerra team is to significantly tap into the vast renewable resources available in the region, particularly solar and wind to help more clients to have 100 per cent self-sufficiency where their energy needs are concerned,” he added.

The company, founded by DaRosa, a former CEO of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and business partner Troy Brennan, is currently supported by a small but growing team of qualified industry professionals who together boast over 60 years of experience in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure development.

“The team of nine individuals are focused on delivering optimal solutions for our customers made up of governments and large businesses across the Caribbean. With solar existing in vast abundance throughout the Caribbean, our team has also been working to develop more commercial products in order to bring more value to markets beyond Jamaica,” DaRosa said.

Predominantly still a start-up entity, SunTerra, which the CEO said remains on a mission to harness the power of renewable resources, has, through a strong pipeline of jobs in Jamaica and overseas, continue to offer superior levels of sustainability to customers, one project after the other.

Recently awarded the contract to develop what is to become Jamaica’s largest solar farm in Trelawny, the renewable energy company, which was chosen out of 12 international bids, is said to have secured the top spot based on its innovative design and economic feasibility plan presented. In landing this large government contract following a request for proposal (RFP) to supply up to 100 megawatt (MW) of electricity generated from renewable energy, the company, through the Midnight Sun solar farm project, seeks to build out a multimillion-dollar plant that will generate up to 80MW of power at peak capacity and 50MW on the lower end. Through the project, SunTerra is to sell up to 130GWh of energy or about 4 per cent of Jamaica’s total energy requirements annually to JPS under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

The venture is projected to save the local economy over US$20 million in annual energy costs, positioning SunTerra as a major player in the shaping of Jamaica’s renewable energy transition.

“We’re currently heavily focused on the implementation of this Midnight Sun solar project here in Jamaica as we seek to ensure that its success lays the foundation for future phases that will include battery storage capabilities. This, as we continue to facilitate the ultimate implementation of a full Midnight Sun deployment across the region,” DaRosa said.

The Midnight Sun concept, which has been conceptulised over the last two years, the CEO said, will practically help to supply up to 50 per cent of Jamaica’s electricity needs.

With the Caribbean having 217 days of sunshine a year with 1950 kilowatt hour (kWh/kW) of solar production on average, the benefits to be accrued he believes will be great for these countries and its people.

“SunTerra is now working with several island states across the Caribbean to develop a first proof of concept for this Midnight Sun vision. We have been working with equipment suppliers to ensure that the concept can be successfully implemented across countries, allowing us to use the sun’s energy to supply the energy needs of our customers up to 24 hours per day,” he stated.

In addition to clean energy production, SunTerra as a responsible corporate company, the CEO further said is also now working to develop a carbon-credit programme that will not only support environmental sustainability, but also help to realise the establishment of its foundation.

“The foundation is expected to provide critical support for nutrition, education, healthcare, and gender equality initiatives across Jamaica, furthering SunTerra’s commitment to the country’s most vulnerable communities,” he noted.

Banking on greater returns from substantial investments in the company funded from life-savings and built on years of experience, DaRosa said the next phase of growth for SunTerra will only get better as the company continues to expand and bring more solutions to pave the way for a cleaner and greener energy future within the region.

“The possibilities for SunTerra are enormous given how entrenched the use of fossil fuels remains within the Caribbean. While almost every country has set lofty renewable energy goals ranging from around 30 to 50 per cent and some even as high as 100 per cent; most continue to only utilise renewables of about 15 per cent or less within their energy mix which presents great opportunities for us. As a result, SunTerra is therefore well positioned and we will continue to work with governments and utility companies as we partner with them to achieve these national goals while helping to address issues concerning climate change and the high cost of energy across the Caribbean,” DaRosa said of the outlook.

“SunTerra Energy through our energy solutions business also continue to work with commercial and industrial customers to help them in improving their energy utilisation so that they can manage their power outages, improve reliability and power quality while lowering operational costs with solar or whichever other solution is best suited to match their individual needs,” he further stated.