The caretaker government of the Netherlands is urging the Second Chamber of Parliament to quickly approve an SDE++ subsidy package benefiting Curaçao, Aruba, and St. Maarten. The Dutch Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (KGG) has allocated €150 million for energy sustainability projects across the three kingdom partners.
Of this amount, €116 million is earmarked for Curaçao and Aruba, targeting essential upgrades such as electricity grid improvements and energy storage systems. Initially, €49 million was scheduled to be released next year, but with elections approaching on October 29, parliamentary approval before January 1 is uncertain.
Curaçao’s utility provider Aqualectra plans to use its share to cut reliance on fossil fuels, expand renewable energy, and stabilize its power grid. A key measure includes building a large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), with the aim of increasing renewable energy’s share from 50% to 70% by 2027. Aruba has also submitted similar proposals, though fewer details have been disclosed.
By contrast, St. Maarten has yet to outline clear plans. Its utility company GEBE continues to face challenges, from Hurricane Irma’s destruction in 2017 to a ransomware attack in 2022 and a prolonged electricity crisis last year. These setbacks, combined with internal disputes over consumer relief measures, have slowed progress. Although Dutch Trust Fund resources are being used to make GEBE’s network more storm-resilient, the island remains the only one among the six Dutch Caribbean territories without significant alternative energy initiatives.
In light of the regional push toward renewable energy, this absence of progress is, frankly, nothing to be proud of.
Photo Credits : https://www.thedailyherald.sx/editorial/nothing-to-be-proud-of
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