The cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda recently received a detailed project briefing from representatives of China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. (CAMC Engineering), laying out a large-scale renewable energy initiative earmarked for the Potworks area, designed to scale up the nation’s domestic power generation capacity and fast-track its national phase-out of fossil fuel-reliant power systems in favor of low-emission, long-term sustainable energy sources.
The proposed Potworks Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Battery Storage Project centers on a 30-megawatt peak (MWp) solar array, paired with a 15-megawatt (MW), 30-megawatt-hour (MWh) grid-scale battery energy storage system. Engineering specifications outlined in the presentation note the facility would deploy roughly 48,384 individual 620-watt solar panels, supported by 54 high-capacity 460-kilowatt inverters to convert generated direct current into grid-compatible alternating current.
Preliminary feasibility estimates indicate the completed solar installation would produce between 49.5 and 54 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean electricity per year, adding a substantial new domestic renewable power stream to the national grid. The integrated battery storage system is engineered to capture excess solar energy generated during peak daylight hours, for discharge during high-demand evening usage windows. With a nominal two-hour full-capacity discharge duration at its rated 15MW output, the storage infrastructure will optimize grid load management, eliminate solar generation intermittency gaps, and enable far higher shares of renewable energy to be safely integrated into the country’s existing power network.
CAMC Engineering’s briefing to cabinet highlighted that the completed project would sharply cut Antigua and Barbuda’s reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, insulate the national economy from volatile swings in global international commodity fuel prices, and lock in long-term national energy security. After conducting an initial review of the presented outline, cabinet directed CAMC Engineering representatives to enter formal, in-depth technical consultations directly with the leadership of the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), to co-develop a full, comprehensive project submission for formal cabinet deliberation.
The final required comprehensive proposal will be mandated to cover full verified technical specifications, transparent financial structuring details, a phased project implementation timeline, full grid compatibility assessments, long-term operational maintenance frameworks, and a full breakdown of projected local economic benefits tied to the investment. Cabinet stressed that APUA’s full, ongoing participation in the project planning process is non-negotiable, to ensure the proposed renewable build is fully interoperable with the nation’s existing power transmission and distribution infrastructure, and aligns fully with the public utility’s multi-decade generation and distribution strategic roadmap.
This proposed Potworks development is a core component of Antigua and Barbuda’s broader national policy agenda to reduce fossil fuel dependence, boost energy system resilience, and deliver on the country’s national environmental commitments and sustainable development targets. Cabinet additionally noted that scaling up renewable generation paired with modern battery storage technology would also deliver greater overall power supply stability, and drive down long-run average power generation costs for residential and commercial end users across the nation. At this stage, the cabinet has not issued final project approval, and formal review and a final decision will only proceed once the full co-developed technical and financial proposal, drafted in close coordination with APUA, is formally submitted for official consideration.
Cabinet Reviews Proposal for Major Solar Energy and Battery Storage Project at Potworks
