UCCI AWARDS SOLAR ARRAY INSTALLATION CONTRACT TO AFFORDABLE SOLAR

The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) is pleased to announce that as part of Sustainable UCCI, its vision to provide a sustainable future for our community and country, it has awarded a contract for a Solar Array Installation, to local company, Affordable Solar.

This installation project is funded by Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme (RESEMBID) and represents a significant step towards Sustainable UCCI’s aim of developing a comprehensive renewable energy and sustainability plan - setting the stage for a greener, more resilient future.

Recognizing its status as one of the largest energy consumers in the Cayman Islands, UCCI is undertaking a crucial shift towards renewable measures, notably the installation of the solar array - a key component of the Sustainable UCCI project. This initiative aims to significantly reduce UCCI’s carbon footprint and harness energy-saving opportunities.

Additionally, the solar array will enable UCCI to actively monitor real-time output from the solar panels. The generated data will be globally accessible through a digital library hosted on an online platform. This accessible resource will showcase the tangible impact of the solar installation, allowing anyone to witness the ongoing progress and contribution to sustainable practices.

Interns selected from the UCCI & RESEMBID Apprenticeship Programme will also be given the opportunity to shadow the Solar Array installation team, which will provide the interns with hands-on experience in this much-needed sustainability-related field.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with UCCI and RESEMBID on this project and are especially looking forward to sharing our expertise and knowledge with the interns. Their involvement demonstrates UCCI’s commitment to fostering the next generation of sustainability leaders”, said Dale Nickason, Owner of Affordable Solar. “We believe that this project will serve as a model for other institutions and organizations in the region to adopt renewable energy solutions and promote sustainable development.”

Affordable Solar will be responsible for the installation of a solar array system with a capacity of 150kW DC, in accordance with the applicable building codes.

The solar array installation will be completed in early February 2024, with the following deliverables from Affordable Solar:

• a detailed project plan including timelines, budgets, resource requirements and technical specifications for the solar array

• procurement plan and process documentation

• installation of the solar array

• monitoring system for tracking the consumption of electricity produced by the solar array

“This project will not only benefit UCCI but also contribute to the sustainable development of the Cayman Islands and the wider Caribbean region,” said Cleveland Julien, UCCI Project Manager. “We are happy to have Affordable Solar on board, whose vision aligns with our commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.”

For more information on this Solar Array Installation phase, please refer to the terms of reference document available on the UCCI website at: https://www.ucci.edu.ky/sustainable-ucci .

RESEMBID is a 47-project programme funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France - the development cooperation agency of the Government of France and supports sustainable human development efforts in 12 Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) - Aruba, Anguilla, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Barthélemy, Sint Maarten and Turks and Caicos.