PM Briceño: Battery Banks Could Have Eased Energy Crisis
Prime Minister John Briceño says a proposed battery storage project for Belize, which the government has been seeking more than US$50 million in World Bank financing for, was delayed for about two years over concerns about the land for the facility in San Pedro.
“We’ve been working with the World Bank for a loan of over $50 million to be able to set up a battery bank for energy where we hope to be able to have approximately 40 megawatts of energy,” Briceño said.
He blamed the delay on what he described as “faceless bureaucrats in Washington”, after concerns were raised that the proposed site was an iguana sanctuary and that someone occupying the land was a squatter.
Briceño said he raised the matter during his meetings with World Bank officials and explained the circumstances surrounding the delay.
“When I sat down and I started to talk to them and explained what has happened they were really embarrassed about the whole issue,” he said. “If we would have gotten that project on time, we would not have the crisis we are presently facing.”
He explained that the proposed battery bank would allow Belize to purchase excess electricity from Mexico during the early morning hours, store it and use it at night when demand is higher.
Briceño said the government was also looking at ways to make Belize more self-sufficient in energy, particularly through renewable sources.
“And at the same time trying to find ways on how we could become completely self-sustainable when it comes to the issue of energy and especially trying to find renewable sources of energy, sun, sunlight, solar, water where we can do some expansion,” he said.